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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. can — to be able to
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chair — a leader
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. can — a tin
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. can — a tin

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