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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: suit · cell · board · date · cue · bank · roll · clip

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cell — in biology
  4. date — the fruit
  5. board — to get on
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bank — for money
  9. clip — a video
  10. suit — clothes
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. roll — a list
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. clip — to cut
  15. cue — a hint
  16. suit — to fit
  17. board — a committee
  18. bank — of a river
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cue — for pool
  23. clip — for paper
  24. cue — a signal

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