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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: rock · bank · can · board · ball · lean · bat · branch

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bank — for money
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lean — to bend
  9. can — a tin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rock — music
  13. board — a committee
  14. lean — thin
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. board — to get on
  20. rock — a stone
  21. branch — a division
  22. can — a tin
  23. ball — a great time
  24. branch — of a bank

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