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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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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: band · pass · mate · board · chip · lean · bank · wind

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bank — of a river
  3. band — a ring
  4. bank — for money
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bank — for money
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. board — a committee
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lean — thin
  18. wind — moving air
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wind — moving air
  24. band — a music group

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