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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: bark · bank · object · board · suit · row · pound · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bark — to shout
  4. suit — in cards
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. suit — to fit
  12. object — to protest
  13. board — a committee
  14. row — a line
  15. object — a thing
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pound — a weight
  18. board — to get on
  19. bank — for money
  20. cap — a lid
  21. object — an aim
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cap — a hat
  24. suit — clothes

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