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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. branch — a division
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. board — to get on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cell — in biology
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. board — a committee
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. plane — a tool

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