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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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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: bank · bark · pop · chair · row · fan · stand · board

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — to shout
  3. row — a line
  4. pop — soda
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. board — a committee
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bank — of a river
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bank — for money
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chair — a leader
  19. board — to get on
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. row — to paddle
  24. pop — music

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