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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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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: board · rock · rest · lean · vault · row · ground · bank

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rock — music
  5. board — to get on
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. board — a committee
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — thin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ground — a position
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rest — a break
  20. bank — of a river
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rest — what's left
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

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