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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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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: file · stand · bear · pit · net · pound · board · bank

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. board — a committee
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bear — the animal
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. board — to get on
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bank — for money
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. net — in sport
  19. stand — to bear
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bank — for money
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — after costs

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