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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: march · board · nail · bound · bore · fine · bank · shower

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. shower — rain
  3. fine — all right
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a committee
  7. bound — tied together
  8. march — the month
  9. bound — certain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bore — to drill
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — to get on
  18. march — music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bank — for money
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bound — obliged

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