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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. march — the month
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rest — what's left
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. tube — a container
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rest — what's left
  14. board — to get on
  15. march — the month
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rest — a break
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. march — music
  24. pound — to hit hard

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