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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
468
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: fine · bass · straw · board · coach · bank · mark · chair

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. board — a committee
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fine — all right
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bank — for money
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. mark — a trace

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