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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: cue · mate · hide · shower · board · racket · branch · bowl

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cue — for pool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a committee
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mate — to breed
  9. board — to get on
  10. shower — rain
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cue — a signal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cue — a hint
  15. shower — to wash
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mate — a friend
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. mate — a partner
  21. branch — a division
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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