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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: row · lean · jam · board · bear · race · stand · branch

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. race — humankind
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. branch — a division
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. race — a contest
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. board — to get on
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. board — a committee
  24. bear — the animal

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