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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pound — a weight
  5. track — a song
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. charge — a price
  9. hand — help
  10. track — a path
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — in control
  16. hand — in cards
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stem — to come from
  20. branch — a division
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. pound — for dogs

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