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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: branch · safe · stand · land · court · fine · spring · lash

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. spring — a coil
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. branch — a division
  6. spring — the season
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. court — for sport
  10. stand — to bear
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. land — a country
  16. fine — high quality
  17. spring — of water
  18. court — of a king
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. court — of law
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stand — for spectators

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