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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pit — a hole
  3. board — to get on
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. branch — a division
  14. board — a committee
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — a partner
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mate — to breed

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