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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 · pitcher · season · current · stand · bank · prune · squash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — of the year
  5. prune — to trim
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bank — of a river
  8. current — of water
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. squash — to crush
  11. board — a committee
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. current — happening now
  14. board — to get on
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bank — for money
  17. season — in sport
  18. current — electric
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. squash — the sport

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