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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rest — a break
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fall — to drop
  6. field — farmland
  7. craft — a skill
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. tube — a container
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fall — to drop
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fall — the season
  18. field — a subject
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. field — for sport
  21. stand — to bear
  22. craft — boats
  23. rest — what's left
  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