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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. branch — a division
  3. present — a gift
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. present — the time now
  6. land — ground
  7. toast — bread
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. land — a country
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. shower — rain
  22. present — there
  23. shower — to wash
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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