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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rash — a series
  4. pop — to visit
  5. snap — to click
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. pop — music
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — to get on
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. rock — music
  18. board — a committee
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pop — soda
  23. rash — hasty
  24. board — a flat piece

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