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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. rest — a break
  7. suit — clothes
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. suit — in cards
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. board — to get on
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. branch — a division
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. foot — the bottom

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