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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.

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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: stick · drill · spell · jam · mate · firm · bank · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. spell — a short time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mate — a friend
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. spell — letters
  14. bank — for money
  15. drill — the tool
  16. firm — decided
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. spell — magic
  22. bank — of a river
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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