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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. branch — a division
  8. cap — a lid
  9. track — a song
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bank — of a river
  13. face — to point toward
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. track — a path
  22. face — to confront
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stem — of a plant

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