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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pop — music
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lean — thin
  6. stock — goods
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pop — to visit
  9. present — the time now
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pop — soda
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lean — to bend
  17. branch — a division
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. present — there
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stock — shares
  24. branch — of a tree

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