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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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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: drill · board · lie · cabinet · present · rock · branch · content

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — the time now
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. drill — the tool
  10. present — a gift
  11. board — to get on
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lie — to recline
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. present — there
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. branch — a division
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. drill — army training
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — the amount
  23. drill — a practice
  24. content — happy

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