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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: staff · stand · racket · cabinet · rush · cap · arm · branch

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rush — hurry
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. branch — a division
  14. cap — a hat
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. arm — a part of something

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