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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.

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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: cabinet · pit · tube · suit · face · branch · stand · mark

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — a hole
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. tube — a container
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — in a race
  10. branch — a division
  11. mark — a grade
  12. face — to confront
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. face — part of the head
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. tube — in a tire

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