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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 120 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: board · content · rush · bank · suit · mine · object · stick

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. object — a thing
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. suit — to fit
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. object — an aim
  15. bank — for money
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — to protest
  20. suit — clothes
  21. board — a committee
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — to get on
  24. content — the amount

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