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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 120 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spring — the season
  4. file — a tool
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. file — a document
  7. branch — a division
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. spring — of water
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bound — obliged
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bound — certain
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stand — to bear
  24. lean — thin

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