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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 · lean · cap · stand · firm · jam · sharp · chest

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. firm — decided
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cap — a hat
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. firm — a company
  14. chest — a box
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. branch — a division
  18. cap — of ice
  19. chest — of your body
  20. firm — steady
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lean — to bend
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stand — to bear

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