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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mug — to rob
  5. branch — a division
  6. ground — a position
  7. spring — the season
  8. ground — the earth
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ground — crushed
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mug — a cup
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pitch — completely
  19. spring — a coil
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spring — of water
  24. mug — a face

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