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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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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 · dip · squash · stand · pound · season · race · firm

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. firm — decided
  3. race — a contest
  4. season — in sport
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. branch — a division
  8. race — humankind
  9. season — of the year
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. squash — to crush
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. branch — of a bank

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