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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. branch — a division
  8. tube — the underground
  9. drill — army training
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pass — a permit
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wound — an injury
  20. drill — the tool
  21. tube — a container
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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