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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. lie — to recline
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. spell — a short time
  11. branch — a division
  12. spell — letters
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stand — to bear
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. spell — magic
  24. fan — a supporter

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