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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.

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
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: stand · scale · object · bore · stick · coach · face · branch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. object — a thing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bore — to tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. object — to protest
  18. bore — to drill
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. object — an aim
  24. branch — a division

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