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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stand — to bear
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. chair — a leader
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. land — to come down
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rush — hurry
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  24. branch — a division

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