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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — steady
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bear — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. firm — a company
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. firm — decided
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — to come from
  24. 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