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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 116 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: tube · stand · branch · object · content · cabinet · hand · wind

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. hand — in cards
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — to protest
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. content — happy
  18. object — an aim
  19. content — the amount
  20. object — a thing
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hand — help

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