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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. pop — soda
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ball — a dance
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. charge — in control
  13. pop — to visit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ball — a great time
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. charge — a price
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. board — a committee
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. board — to get on
  24. pop — music

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