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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: prune · board · present · mouse · racket · branch · club · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. club — for golf
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. present — a gift
  9. board — to get on
  10. prune — to trim
  11. branch — a division
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. club — a group
  17. prune — to trim
  18. club — for dancing
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. row — a line
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. board — a committee

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