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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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Word bank
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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: content · stand · hide · can · deal · branch · wake · ruler

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. content — the amount
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. can — a tin
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. content — happy
  21. branch — a division
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ruler — a monarch

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