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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: drill · foot · board · bass · bear · bound · season · bank

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — in sport
  3. foot — a measure
  4. board — a committee
  5. bank — for money
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. drill — a practice
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. drill — army training
  17. bear — the animal
  18. board — to get on
  19. bass — low music
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bank — of a river
  22. drill — the tool
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bound — certain

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