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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: saw · branch · lie · mouse · wind · sharp · kick · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  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. board — a committee
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. kick — in football
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. saw — the tool
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wind — moving air
  21. board — to get on
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wind — moving air
  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