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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
468
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: branch · safe · land · lash · mouse · stand · date · cap

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. land — a country
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cap — a hat
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cap — of ice
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. land — ground
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. branch — a division
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stand — to bear
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. land — to come down
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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