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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. branch — a division
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. net — after costs
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. board — a committee
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. chip — to eat
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. toast — bread
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bank — for money
  24. mark — a trace

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