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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: game · bank · bear · march · board · firm · rock · saw

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bank — for money
  3. firm — decided
  4. march — the month
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. march — music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. firm — a company
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rock — music
  17. firm — steady
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. rock — a stone
  21. saw — the tool
  22. game — a match
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. march — the month

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