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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: bulb · chair · board · rush · bank · lean · shower · roll

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. board — a committee
  6. bank — of a river
  7. roll — a list
  8. lean — thin
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bank — for money
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. board — to get on
  17. bank — for money
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. rush — hurry
  24. shower — to wash

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