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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.

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: board · lie · row · vault · game · craft · branch · current

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. board — a committee
  5. row — a line
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. board — to get on
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. current — electric
  13. craft — a skill
  14. vault — a safe
  15. current — happening now
  16. game — wild animals
  17. craft — boats
  18. row — to paddle
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. current — of water
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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