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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: wake · can · mine · lean · row · stand · saw · branch

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. row — a line
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. branch — a division
  7. wake — a trail
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. can — to be able to
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. saw — the tool
  24. branch — of a bank

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