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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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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: board · bank · lean · club · row · straw · wind · mark

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mark — a grade
  5. club — a group
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — for money
  8. row — a line
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lean — thin
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lean — to bend
  14. board — a committee
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. wind — moving air
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bank — of a river
  19. board — to get on
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. club — for golf
  23. row — a quarrel
  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