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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lean — thin
  7. club — a group
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lean — to bend
  13. club — for dancing
  14. branch — a division
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — music
  17. board — to get on
  18. club — for golf
  19. rush — hurry
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rock — to move gently

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