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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. clip — a video
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. clip — to cut
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. branch — a division
  16. board — a committee
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. clip — for paper
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lean — thin
  22. stem — to come from
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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