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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 116 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: board · bank · season · ball · hide · branch · fork · nail

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. season — of the year
  9. board — a committee
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fork — in a road
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bank — for money
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. branch — a division
  21. season — in sport
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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