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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. suit — clothes
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. march — the month
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. branch — a division
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rock — a stone
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rock — music
  17. march — music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — in cards
  22. board — to get on
  23. suit — to fit
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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