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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: lash · board · lean · ball · perch · branch · bark · rule

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rule — a law
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rule — government
  10. lean — thin
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. perch — the fish
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. branch — a division
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lean — to rest against

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