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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. date — the fruit
  9. firm — decided
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rush — hurry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. branch — a division
  20. cap — a lid
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cap — a hat
  24. firm — a company

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