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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: degree · bank · board · leaves · march · pass · fan · craft

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. march — music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bank — of a river
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pass — a permit
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. craft — boats
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. march — the month
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. degree — from a university
  21. board — a committee
  22. march — the month
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. leaves — of a tree

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