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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. kick — in football
  4. mug — a face
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. object — to protest
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. object — a thing
  15. mug — a cup
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mate — a partner
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. object — an aim
  23. branch — a division
  24. kick — a thrill

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