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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · branch · content · band · rock · stand · ball · stick

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rock — a stone
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ball — a dance
  6. band — a music group
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. board — to get on
  11. content — happy
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rock — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. content — the amount
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — to bear
  19. branch — a division
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. board — a committee
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. branch — of a bank

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