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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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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: rest · craft · lean · saw · rule · board · bank · pit

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. craft — boats
  3. board — to get on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rule — government
  8. rest — what's left
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rest — a break
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. board — a committee
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rule — a law
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rest — what's left

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