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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 · bore · lean · fork · board · bank · mark · chair

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bore — to tire
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. board — a committee
  9. bank — for money
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. game — wild animals
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. game — a match
  15. board — to get on
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mark — a grade
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lean — to bend

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