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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: bear · degree · wake · cabinet · foot · rule · bank · board

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. board — to get on
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. board — a committee
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bank — of a river
  10. degree — from a university
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bank — for money
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rule — government
  19. foot — a measure
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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