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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: wake · object · bay · stand · hand · branch · rest · fan

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rest — a break
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. object — a thing
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rest — what's left
  20. object — to protest
  21. hand — help
  22. object — an aim
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. hand — in cards

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