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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: ball · spell · cabinet · present · bank · hand · bark · board

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. present — there
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — of a river
  9. hand — help
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. present — a gift
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ball — a great time
  16. spell — letters
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. bark — to shout
  22. spell — magic
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. present — the time now

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