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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
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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: racket · pit · field · content · branch · object · stand · can

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. content — happy
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — in a race
  7. branch — a division
  8. object — to protest
  9. field — for sport
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. field — farmland
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — the amount
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. field — a subject
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a hole
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. can — to be able to

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