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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. branch — a division
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mate — a friend
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. degree — from a university
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stem — to come from
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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