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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. object — an aim
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fine — all right
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. branch — a division
  9. tube — a container
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. capital — a city
  14. object — a thing
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. object — to protest
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. race — a contest
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. capital — money
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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