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

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — a committee
  9. branch — a division
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — to get on
  18. pitcher — a jug

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