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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. drill — army training
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bank — of a river
  9. firm — steady
  10. board — a committee
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — decided
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bank — for money
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. firm — a company
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. drill — a practice
  23. perch — the fish
  24. deal — a big deal

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