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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. march — music
  3. branch — a division
  4. march — the month
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. firm — decided
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. march — the month
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stand — to bear
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fall — the season
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fall — to drop
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. ruler — a monarch

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