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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: firm · craft · branch · board · can · last · ground · toast

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. board — to get on
  3. firm — steady
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a skill
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. last — final
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. craft — boats
  11. firm — a company
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. branch — a division
  15. can — to be able to
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. firm — decided
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ground — crushed
  20. last — finally
  21. ground — a position
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. last — to go on
  24. board — a committee

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