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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rest — what's left
  5. branch — a division
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. current — happening now
  13. toast — bread
  14. chair — a leader
  15. current — of water
  16. cap — of ice
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rest — a break
  20. cap — a hat
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. current — electric
  23. stand — to bear
  24. chair — a professorship

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