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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. present — the time now
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. craft — boats
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. branch — a division
  11. snap — to click
  12. craft — a skill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. present — there
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. present — a gift
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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