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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. firm — steady
  8. can — to be able to
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. can — a tin
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bank — of a river
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stand — to bear
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bank — for money
  22. season — of the year
  23. craft — boats
  24. season — in sport

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