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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. branch — a division
  7. firm — steady
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mate — to breed
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. firm — decided
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mate — a partner
  18. squash — to crush
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. firm — a company
  24. leaves — to go away

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