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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — to play on
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. stand — to bear
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. branch — a division
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cap — a lid
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. swing — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rule — to rule out

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