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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. tube — a container
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. degree — temperature
  9. season — of the year
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. degree — an amount
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. degree — from a university
  20. season — in sport
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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