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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: wave · cell · branch · fine · cabinet · fan · board · mine

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cell — a phone
  11. fine — high quality
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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