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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. land — to come down
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. land — ground
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — a division
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. firm — decided
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. land — a country

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