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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. board — a committee
  3. present — there
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. branch — a division
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. shower — to wash
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. present — a gift
  13. last — to go on
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. last — finally
  20. last — final
  21. board — to get on
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. present — the time now

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