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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
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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: prune · board · chair · march · calf · branch · stand · roll

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stand — to bear
  5. board — a committee
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. march — music
  8. prune — to trim
  9. march — the month
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — to get on
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. march — the month
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. chair — a leader
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. branch — a division
  24. stand — on your feet

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