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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 · clip · branch · squash · kick · board · bowl · saw

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. board — to get on
  6. squash — to crush
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — a division
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. clip — for paper
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. board — a committee
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. clip — to cut
  18. toast — bread
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. kick — in football
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. squash — the sport
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bowl — a dish

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