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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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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bank — for money
  10. branch — a division
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. season — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — a permit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. season — of the year
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cell — a phone
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bowl — to roll

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