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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: fall · suit · land · bear · hide · branch · foot · pound

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. branch — a division
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. land — to come down
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bear — the animal
  12. land — ground
  13. fall — the season
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. land — a country
  19. suit — in cards
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  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