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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: rest · mine · face · bulb · board · bank · stick · coach

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. board — a committee
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mine — for digging
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. face — to confront
  21. bank — for money
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. board — to get on

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