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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. tube — the underground
  4. field — for sport
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bass — low music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. field — a subject
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bulb — for light
  20. field — farmland
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tube — a container
  24. branch — a division

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