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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. vault — a safe
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cell — a phone
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cue — for pool
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. cue — a hint
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bank — for money
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rash — a series
  23. stem — to come from
  24. hide — to keep secret

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