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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. land — a country
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. staff — employees
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rest — what's left
  12. branch — a division
  13. rest — a break
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — a stick
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — music
  24. lie — to recline

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