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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rash — hasty
  5. lie — to recline
  6. branch — a division
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stock — goods
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stock — shares
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. staff — a stick
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. staff — employees
  21. board — a committee
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. staff — employees
  24. branch — of a bank

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