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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. branch — a division
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ground — a position
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rush — hurry
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — to hurry

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