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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: mate · board · pound · wake · chair · bank · bowl · mark

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bank — of a river
  4. board — to get on
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bank — for money
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bank — for money
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mark — a trace

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