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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — to be able to
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stand — to bear
  6. sharp — clever
  7. season — of the year
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. can — a tin
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. can — a tin
  14. race — the arms race
  15. season — in sport
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. race — a contest
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. race — humankind
  22. branch — a division
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — on your feet

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