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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stem — to come from
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cell — a phone
  14. branch — a division
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. suit — to fit
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. race — the arms race
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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