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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: branch · face · race · bear · foot · can · stand · spring

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. can — a tin
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. face — to confront
  12. race — humankind
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. spring — of water
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. face — part of the head
  19. spring — the season
  20. stand — to bear
  21. foot — a measure
  22. can — a tin
  23. race — the arms race
  24. race — a contest

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