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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · roll · bank · stem · wake · straw · craft · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. craft — a skill
  7. suit — to fit
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. suit — in cards
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bank — for money
  12. board — to get on
  13. bank — of a river
  14. roll — a list
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — boats
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. wake — a trail
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — of a plant

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