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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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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: suit · firm · board · stand · wake · root · branch · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — a division
  4. suit — clothes
  5. root — of a word
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wake — a trail
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. board — to get on
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — in cards
  19. firm — a company
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. chest — of your body
  24. root — the cause

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