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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: stand · branch · racket · rock · court · craft · tear · bear

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. court — of a king
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. tear — from crying
  7. craft — a skill
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. court — of law
  13. tear — to rip
  14. branch — a division
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. craft — boats
  22. court — for sport
  23. stand — to bear
  24. branch — of a tree

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