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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. swing — in golf
  3. branch — a division
  4. track — a path
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bulb — for light
  7. swing — music
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. swing — to play on
  12. track — a song
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mine — for digging
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mine — belonging to me

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