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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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · file · stand · game · scale · clip · bank · fall

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bank — of a river
  5. file — a tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. file — a line of people
  8. game — a match
  9. scale — in music
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. clip — to cut
  12. fall — the season
  13. board — a committee
  14. scale — size or range
  15. file — a document
  16. bank — for money
  17. game — wild animals
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. clip — a video
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. stand — to bear

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