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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
468
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: plane · stand · board · rest · pass · game · branch · perch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. game — a match
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — a division
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pass — a permit
  15. board — to get on
  16. game — wild animals
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rest — what's left

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