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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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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: roll · craft · bank · hand · trunk · stem · firm · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. hand — in cards
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. roll — a list
  9. firm — steady
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. hand — help
  14. craft — a skill
  15. board — a committee
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. roll — a cake
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stem — to come from
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. trunk — of a car

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