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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
468
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 · cell · fork · coach · branch · nail · lean · sharp

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. branch — a division
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — thin
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cell — a phone
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. cell — in biology
  20. lean — to bend
  21. sharp — clever
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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