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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 116 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: mate · lean · cap · branch · shower · stand · deal · pound

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stand — to bear
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. shower — rain
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cap — of ice
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lean — thin
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — a weight
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mate — to breed
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lean — to bend
  19. shower — to wash
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lean — to rest against

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