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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. land — a country
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. staff — employees
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. staff — employees
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bulb — for light
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bulb — for light
  14. land — to come down
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. staff — a stick
  22. land — ground
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. craft — boats

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