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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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Word bank
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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: wave · charge · bank · board · chair · club

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. club — for golf
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. bank — of a river
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. club — a group
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. charge — a price
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chair — a professorship

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