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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mug — to rob
  10. firm — a company
  11. mug — a face
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. firm — steady
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. firm — decided
  23. mug — a cup
  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