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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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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. spell — a short time
  3. object — an aim
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. spell — letters
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spell — magic
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. staff — employees
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stand — for spectators

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