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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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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: bulb · branch · track · bore · board · mark · chip · pound

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chip — for betting
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mark — a grade
  5. board — to get on
  6. track — a path
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bulb — for light
  9. branch — a division
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. track — a song
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bore — to tire

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