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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · leaves · board · mine · bark · bank · stock · bear

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. board — to get on
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. board — a committee
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. stock — goods
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bank — for money
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stock — shares
  24. bark — to shout

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