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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. can — to be able to
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. craft — boats
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. board — a committee
  14. bank — of a river
  15. branch — a division
  16. board — to get on
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a great time
  20. craft — a skill
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. can — a tin

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