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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. swing — in golf
  4. tube — a container
  5. swing — to play on
  6. branch — a division
  7. cap — a lid
  8. board — to get on
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cap — of ice
  13. tube — the underground
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cap — a hat
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. swing — music
  24. root — of a word

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