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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — the fruit
  5. branch — a division
  6. bound — tied together
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. last — finally
  16. bound — certain
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. board — to get on
  19. last — final
  20. bound — obliged
  21. board — a committee
  22. last — to go on
  23. bulb — for light
  24. date — on the calendar

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