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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. board — to get on
  3. chest — a box
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. chest — of your body
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. board — a committee
  12. scale — size or range
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fine — high quality
  16. shower — to wash
  17. scale — in music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. branch — a division
  21. fine — all right
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — rain
  24. suit — in cards

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