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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: sharp · lie · wave · board · wake · pound · branch · pitcher

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pound — a weight
  5. board — to get on
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wake — a trail
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. board — a committee
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. board — a flat piece
  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