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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bore — to tire
  8. can — a tin
  9. scale — in music
  10. board — a committee
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bat — the animal
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. club — for dancing
  17. branch — a division
  18. club — a group
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. board — to get on
  22. club — for golf
  23. bore — to drill
  24. branch — of a bank

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