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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. board — to get on
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — electricity
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. land — ground
  10. branch — a division
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. row — a line
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. charge — a price
  15. land — to come down
  16. board — a committee
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. land — a country
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — in control
  24. bark — of a tree

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