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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: branch · stand · spell · safe · date · capital · bay · bear

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. branch — a division
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. spell — a short time
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. capital — money
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bear — the animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. date — the fruit
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. spell — magic

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