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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: toast · hand · row · board · ruler · saw · firm · branch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. firm — steady
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. board — a committee
  8. hand — help
  9. saw — the tool
  10. firm — decided
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. toast — bread
  16. row — a line
  17. firm — a company
  18. branch — a division
  19. hand — in cards
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. board — to get on
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. row — a quarrel

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