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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: spell · rash · firm · ground · branch · date · stand · racket

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. spell — a short time
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ground — the earth
  8. firm — steady
  9. ground — crushed
  10. firm — decided
  11. spell — letters
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — a company
  15. ground — a position
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spell — magic
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rash — hasty
  24. racket — a loud noise

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