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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. court — of a king
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. clip — to cut
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. court — of law
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. clip — a video
  15. court — for sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. board — to get on
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — a committee
  24. plane — in geometry

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