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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. branch — a division
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. spring — of water
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ground — the earth
  13. stock — goods
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ground — crushed
  17. spring — the season
  18. stock — shares
  19. spring — a coil
  20. present — there
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stand — to bear
  23. present — a gift
  24. key — the most important part

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