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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. object — to protest
  3. craft — boats
  4. object — a thing
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. kick — in football
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. board — a committee
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — a tin
  13. object — an aim
  14. cell — in biology
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. cell — a phone
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. craft — a skill
  22. snap — to click
  23. can — to be able to
  24. kick — with a leg

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