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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: racket · deal · race · branch · mark · stand · ruler · cabinet

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. branch — a division
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stand — to bear
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. race — humankind
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — to handle
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. race — a contest
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. race — the arms race
  24. stand — for spectators

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