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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: march · bank · bay · board · present · current · kid · row

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. board — to get on
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. current — happening now
  8. kid — child
  9. bank — of a river
  10. march — the month
  11. present — there
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. current — electric
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. current — of water
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. board — a committee
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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