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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. spell — letters
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. spell — magic
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — a division
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. suit — clothes
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. lie — to recline

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