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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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. charge — a price
  4. craft — boats
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — in control
  18. craft — a skill
  19. branch — a division
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. craft — a handicraft

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