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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: bank · game · season · branch · mug · stick · wake · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. mug — a cup
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mug — a face
  10. season — in sport
  11. board — a committee
  12. bank — of a river
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — to get on
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. branch — a division
  17. mug — to rob
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. game — a match
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. season — of the year
  24. game — wild animals

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