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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. branch — a division
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bound — certain
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bound — obliged
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mug — a face
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bound — tied together
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. deal — to handle
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lean — to bend

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