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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: branch · chair · board · bay · ruler · stick · patient · perch

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. chair — a leader
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. perch — the fish
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. board — to get on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. board — a committee
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. branch — a division
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — a sick person

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