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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 116 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: pitcher · bank · board · wake · bowl · suit · spring · deal

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. board — a committee
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. board — to get on
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. spring — of water
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spring — the season

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