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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. key — the most important part
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. key — in music
  7. branch — a division
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. key — for a lock
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. row — a line
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. branch — of a tree
  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