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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. board — to get on
  3. game — wild animals
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. roll — a list
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. board — a committee
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. game — a match
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. can — a tin
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. roll — a cake
  20. branch — a division
  21. can — to be able to
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  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