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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: mug · march · bay · firm · cold · board · mine · bank

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — to get on
  4. march — the month
  5. cold — not warm
  6. firm — a company
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — steady
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bank — for money
  11. march — the month
  12. cold — an illness
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. march — music
  15. mine — for digging
  16. board — a committee
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bank — of a river
  19. firm — decided
  20. mug — a face
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mug — a cup

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