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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rush — hurry
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. field — for sport
  6. firm — decided
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. stand — to bear
  9. firm — a company
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. club — for golf
  12. firm — steady
  13. club — for dancing
  14. field — a subject
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. club — a group
  18. tube — the underground
  19. field — farmland
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. tube — a container
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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