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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fall — the season
  12. chip — for betting
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chip — to eat
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink

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