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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — the time now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. branch — a division
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lean — thin
  10. fork — in a road
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — a gift
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. craft — boats
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lean — to bend
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. craft — a skill
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. present — there

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