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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. staff — a stick
  3. branch — a division
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. object — an aim
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. staff — employees
  11. capital — a city
  12. tube — a container
  13. object — a thing
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lean — thin
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lean — to bend
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. capital — money
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. object — to protest

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