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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ball — a great time
  4. branch — a division
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lean — to bend
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lean — thin
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ball — a dance
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. deal — to handle
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — money
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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