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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. press — to push
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. staff — a stick
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fall — the season
  10. branch — a division
  11. row — to paddle
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. row — a line
  14. staff — employees
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lean — thin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lean — to bend
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fall — to drop
  24. staff — employees

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