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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bound — certain
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bound — obliged
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bound — tied together
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. branch — a division
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stand — for spectators

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