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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · racket · fan · stand · bear · lean · rock · branch

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lean — to bend
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. branch — a division
  8. lean — thin
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bear — the animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. lean — to rest against

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