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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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. spell — letters
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — to shout
  6. branch — a division
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. kid — child
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. suit — to fit

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