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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: suit · mine · key · sharp · branch · stand · wound · rock

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. branch — a division
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. suit — to fit
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. suit — in cards
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rock — music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. sharp — clever
  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