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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. spell — magic
  8. fine — all right
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. board — a committee
  12. kick — in football
  13. spell — a short time
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stand — to bear
  16. spell — letters
  17. board — to get on
  18. branch — a division
  19. mate — to breed
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. stand — on your feet

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