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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: bay · squash · bank · roll · chest · board · toast · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. chest — of your body
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bank — for money
  7. chest — a box
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. board — to get on
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bank — for money
  16. toast — bread
  17. squash — the sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. roll — a list
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bank — of a river
  22. board — a committee
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — the vegetable

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