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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 124 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. date — the fruit
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. land — a country
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. land — to come down
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fall — to drop
  10. branch — a division
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fall — the season
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. kid — child
  20. suit — in cards
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stand — to bear
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. land — ground

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