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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: squash · face · branch · land · mate · stand · track · calf

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. face — to confront
  4. land — ground
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. track — a path
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. branch — a division
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mate — a partner
  14. face — part of the head
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. track — a song
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mate — a friend
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. land — a country
  24. land — to come down

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