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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: rest · bank · board · stand · rock · wake · saw · deal

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. rest — what's left
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bank — for money
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rock — a stone
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rock — music
  24. saw — the tool

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