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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bore — to tire
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. board — to get on
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. firm — a company
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. firm — decided
  21. branch — a division
  22. firm — steady
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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