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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: club · land · rock · bay · bank · board · saw · game

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. land — to come down
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. land — ground
  7. board — to get on
  8. land — a country
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — wild animals
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rock — music
  18. club — for dancing
  19. board — a committee
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  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