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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: object · hand · branch · board · lean · sharp · temple · drill

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. object — a thing
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lean — to bend
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. hand — help
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. object — to protest
  17. lean — thin
  18. object — an aim
  19. hand — in cards
  20. drill — a practice
  21. branch — a division
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. lean — to rest against

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