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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: mouse · root · craft · capital · deal · wound · board · bank

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. capital — money
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. board — a committee
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. root — of a plant
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bank — for money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. capital — a city
  18. wound — an injury
  19. craft — boats
  20. root — of a word
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. root — the cause
  24. craft — a handicraft

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