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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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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rush — hurry
  9. branch — a division
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bound — certain
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wound — an injury
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bound — tied together
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. vault — a safe
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stand — to bear

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