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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rock — a stone
  4. last — final
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. last — finally
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rock — music
  10. board — a committee
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. drill — army training
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. drill — the tool
  23. last — to go on
  24. wake — a trail

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