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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bark · bank · saw · row · kick · sharp · toast

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — a line
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — in football
  9. bark — to shout
  10. toast — bread
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. sharp — clever
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. board — a committee
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. board — to get on
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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