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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: tube · wind · wound · board · pit · fork · bore · bank

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wind — moving air
  13. board — a committee
  14. wound — an injury
  15. board — to get on
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. tube — a container
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fork — a garden tool

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