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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. foot — a measure
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. object — a thing
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. band — a music group
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. board — to get on
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. object — an aim
  15. branch — a division
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. board — a committee
  18. band — a ring
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. object — to protest
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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