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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · branch · board · mine · ball · fan

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mine — for digging
  4. board — a committee
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ball — a dance
  7. branch — a division
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fine — all right
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. board — to get on
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ball — a great time

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