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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mate — a friend
  6. object — an aim
  7. can — a tin
  8. mate — to breed
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. mate — a partner
  13. can — a tin
  14. object — a thing
  15. firm — a company
  16. shower — to wash
  17. prune — to trim
  18. shower — rain
  19. prune — to trim
  20. object — to protest
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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