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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. board — to get on
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lean — thin
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mark — a trace
  15. board — a committee
  16. lean — to bend
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mate — a partner
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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