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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cell — a phone
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. court — of a king
  13. cell — in biology
  14. spell — a short time
  15. court — for sport
  16. board — a committee
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — letters
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. board — to get on
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spell — magic
  23. court — of law
  24. branch — of a tree

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