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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. court — of a king
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. plane — a tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pitch — completely
  11. squash — to crush
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. court — of law
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. squash — the sport
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — a committee
  21. court — for sport
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. plane — in geometry

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