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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 120 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: stand · mouse · fork · chest · rest · tube · branch · track

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. track — a song
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. branch — a division
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chest — a box
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. track — a path
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rest — a break

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