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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. tube — the underground
  3. branch — a division
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. club — for golf
  9. tube — a container
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. board — to get on
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. club — a group
  17. cue — a signal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stand — for spectators

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