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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mark — a trace
  3. staff — employees
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cap — of ice
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bat — the animal
  11. cap — a lid
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. branch — a division
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. lean — thin
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. staff — employees

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