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

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. 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 — of a tree
  2. key — for a lock
  3. board — to get on
  4. spell — a short time
  5. key — in music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. spell — letters
  8. branch — a division
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. spell — magic
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. board — a committee
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stem — to come from
  18. 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