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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. charge — electricity
  7. object — an aim
  8. club — for dancing
  9. branch — a division
  10. charge — in control
  11. present — the time now
  12. object — a thing
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stem — to come from
  16. club — for golf
  17. rash — a series
  18. club — a group
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. charge — a price
  21. foot — a measure
  22. object — to protest
  23. present — there
  24. rash — hasty

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