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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · mouse · deal · board · pitch · bank

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rule — government
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bank — for money
  8. deal — to handle
  9. board — a committee
  10. rule — a law
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com