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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mug — to rob
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stock — shares
  12. swing — music
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mug — a cup
  17. ground — a position
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stock — goods
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ground — crushed
  23. branch — a division
  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