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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. season — of the year
  7. branch — a division
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pound — a weight
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — in sport
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — a committee
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. board — to get on
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pound — for dogs

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