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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — to get on
  3. branch — a division
  4. chest — a box
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. chest — of your body
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. chest — of your body
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. kick — in football

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