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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: tube · mate · stand · toast · ruler · branch · capital · bowl

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. toast — bread
  4. branch — a division
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — the underground
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. tube — a container
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mate — a friend
  23. capital — money
  24. stand — to bear

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