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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. firm — a company
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. present — a gift
  6. mate — to breed
  7. present — there
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fine — high quality
  15. present — the time now
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fine — all right
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. firm — steady
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — a partner
  23. firm — decided
  24. stand — to bear

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