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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. plane — a tool
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bound — obliged
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. scale — size or range
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chair — a leader
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — a committee
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. scale — in music
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mark — a trace
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bound — certain
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mark — a grade

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