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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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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: chair · stand · fall · branch · fan · nail · bay · root

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a word
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fall — the season
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. root — the cause
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. root — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stand — to bear
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. stand — on your feet

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