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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: pass · branch · racket · foot · cell · rock · saw · board

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rock — music
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rock — a stone
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pass — a permit
  11. foot — a measure
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. branch — a division
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cell — in biology
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. saw — the tool

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