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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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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: rock · rest · tube · net · hand · board · bank · bay

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. tube — the underground
  3. net — in sport
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bank — for money
  6. net — for catching
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. tube — a container
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bank — of a river
  11. net — after costs
  12. rest — what's left
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. rest — a break
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rock — music
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. hand — help
  23. board — a committee
  24. rest — what's left

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