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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. march — the month
  8. branch — a division
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. board — a committee
  11. march — music
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. sharp — clever
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. march — the month

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