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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 120 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 · bank · bulb · fork · pitch · mine · cabinet · pound

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. board — a committee
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bank — for money
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pitch — completely
  23. board — to get on
  24. pitch — a sports field

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