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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: rule · safe · racket · branch · tube · land · wake · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. tube — a container
  5. stand — to bear
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rule — a law
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wake — a trail
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. branch — a division
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rule — government
  19. tube — the underground
  20. land — ground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. stand — for spectators

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