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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. date — the fruit
  3. net — for catching
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — to cut
  7. branch — a division
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. roll — a cake
  13. board — to get on
  14. net — in sport
  15. clip — for paper
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. roll — a list
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. net — after costs

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