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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 116 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: board · club · pound · current · bear · ball · bank · craft

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. board — a committee
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — to get on
  5. current — electric
  6. craft — boats
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. bank — for money
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. club — for golf
  20. ball — a dance
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bank — for money
  24. ball — a great time

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