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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. present — there
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. present — the time now
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. squash — to crush
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. present — a gift
  24. squash — the sport

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