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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: board · snap · branch · ground · net · rest · rock · rule

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — a division
  4. rock — a stone
  5. net — after costs
  6. snap — to click
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rule — a law
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rock — music
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — a committee
  15. rule — government
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. rest — a break
  19. net — for catching
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — to get on
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. net — in sport

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