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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mate — to breed
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. season — of the year
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mate — a friend
  14. cell — a phone
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. branch — a division
  20. season — in sport
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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