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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — goods
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stock — shares
  12. board — to get on
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. branch — a division
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wake — a trail

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