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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. kid — to tease
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — to crush
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. kid — child
  7. board — to get on
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stand — to bear
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. board — a committee
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wax — to grow
  24. nail — for a hammer

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