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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. rock — a stone
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stem — to come from
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — music
  11. season — in sport
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. perch — the fish
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — a division

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