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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 116 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fall — the season
  10. lean — thin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. track — a song
  18. fall — to drop
  19. track — a path
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fall — to drop

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