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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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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: wake · staff · board · foot · bank · present · kid · mouse

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. present — the time now
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — to get on
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. staff — employees
  8. bank — for money
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. foot — a measure
  12. staff — employees
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. kid — child
  16. wake — a trail
  17. kid — to tease
  18. board — a committee
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mouse — the animal

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