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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. branch — a division
  23. bear — the animal
  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