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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. race — the arms race
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. board — to get on
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. row — to paddle
  14. race — a contest
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. plane — a tool
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. race — humankind
  21. board — a committee
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. row — a line
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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