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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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. board — a committee
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. lean — thin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. board — to get on
  17. branch — a division
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lean — to bend

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