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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: bank · lie · sharp · snap · content · board · coach · bay

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bank — of a river
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. content — happy
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bank — for money
  24. content — the amount

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