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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: fork · bat · bass · jam · saw · lie · bank · board

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. board — a committee
  7. bass — low music
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — to get on
  12. bass — the fish
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — of a river
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bank — for money
  21. bat — the animal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bat — in an idiom

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