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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. track — to keep track
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. club — for dancing
  8. track — a path
  9. club — a group
  10. board — a committee
  11. snap — to click
  12. board — to get on
  13. club — for golf
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fall — the season
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fall — to drop
  19. branch — a division
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fall — to drop
  23. track — a song
  24. spell — letters

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