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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. branch — a division
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. shower — rain
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. shower — to wash

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