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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. board — a committee
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chair — a leader
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — a division
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. degree — an amount
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. board — to get on
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bear — the 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