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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. spell — magic
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. branch — a division
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — for a hammer

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