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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. bank — for money
  4. branch — a division
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bank — of a river
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. drill — army training
  14. object — a thing
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bank — for money
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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