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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ground — a position
  3. can — to be able to
  4. branch — a division
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rush — hurry
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bank — for money
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ground — the earth
  17. can — a tin
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bank — for money
  24. branch — of a tree

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