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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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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: arm · ruler · bat · board · foot · branch · pitch · bark

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pitch — completely
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. board — to get on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. board — a committee
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. branch — a division
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pitch — a sports field

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