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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 116 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. row — a line
  3. branch — a division
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. row — to paddle
  7. saw — the tool
  8. net — in sport
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. net — for catching
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. net — after costs
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. branch — of a tree

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