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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. firm — decided
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. swing — to play on
  8. land — to come down
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. race — humankind
  13. firm — steady
  14. race — a contest
  15. land — ground
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. swing — music
  18. firm — a company
  19. branch — a division
  20. land — a country
  21. race — the arms race
  22. swing — in golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. hand — in cards

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