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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 116 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. face — to point toward
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. branch — a division
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. present — a gift
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. present — the time now
  14. game — wild animals
  15. stem — to come from
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — part of the head
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. game — a match
  23. mug — to rob
  24. present — there

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