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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. squash — to crush
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. season — in sport
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. firm — decided
  12. craft — boats
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wound — an injury
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. season — of the year
  18. stand — to bear
  19. squash — the sport
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. branch — a division
  24. firm — steady

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