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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. firm — steady
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. branch — a division
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. board — a committee
  17. firm — a company
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. board — to get on
  24. firm — decided

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