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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 120 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: club · firm · board · ball · leaves · degree · bank · deal

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bank — of a river
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. firm — decided
  7. deal — to handle
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. degree — an amount
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. firm — steady
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ball — a dance
  15. board — a committee
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — a company
  19. degree — from a university
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ball — a great time
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bank — for money

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