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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. present — a gift
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mug — a face
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wound — an injury
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mug — to rob
  17. present — the time now
  18. mug — a cup
  19. branch — a division
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. present — there
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stand — for spectators

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