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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bound — certain
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ground — crushed
  5. tube — a container
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ground — a position
  9. perch — the fish
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. branch — a division
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. safe — out of danger

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