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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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Word bank
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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rash — a series
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. cap — a lid
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — a break
  13. stand — to bear
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rest — what's left
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fall — the season
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. racket — a loud noise

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