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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: swing · bound · saw · branch · stand · sharp · bore · board

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. sharp — clever
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stand — to bear
  6. board — to get on
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bore — to drill
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. board — a committee
  15. branch — a division
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. swing — music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bore — to tire
  24. saw — the tool

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