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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · content · racket · bowl · branch · stand · ball · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. content — the amount
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stand — to bear
  7. file — a document
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fall — the season
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fall — to drop
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. branch — a division
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. content — happy
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. file — a tool
  23. ball — a great time
  24. content — videos and posts

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