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

Word bank: foot · fork · board · suit · wave · game · fall · branch

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. game — a match
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fork — in a road
  9. branch — a division
  10. suit — clothes
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. board — to get on
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. suit — in cards
  18. game — wild animals
  19. foot — a measure
  20. board — a committee
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — to fit
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fall — to drop

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