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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fine — high quality
  3. game — a match
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fine — all right
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rock — a stone
  15. branch — a division
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rock — music
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. mate — to breed
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mate — a friend
  24. game — a kind of play

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