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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: stand · board · perch · wake · band · bank · present · row

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. present — a gift
  7. row — to paddle
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bank — for money
  12. perch — the fish
  13. row — a line
  14. stand — to bear
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. present — there
  22. board — a committee
  23. band — a music group
  24. present — the time now

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