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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. key — in music
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rash — hasty
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rash — a series
  11. branch — a division
  12. key — for a lock
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. key — the most important part
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rash — on the skin

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