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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. scale — in music
  3. present — a gift
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — the time now
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — size or range
  9. board — to get on
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. charge — a price
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — electricity
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. present — there
  16. branch — a division
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. charge — in control
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. leaves — lets stay

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