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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: cell · board · can · foot · rock · track · branch · wind

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a committee
  4. cell — in biology
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — a tin
  8. wind — moving air
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. cell — a phone
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rock — a stone
  15. can — a tin
  16. rock — music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. track — a song
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. branch — a division
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. foot — the bottom

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