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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lean — to bend
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — a division
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. date — the fruit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bear — the animal

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