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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pop — music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. face — to confront
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. face — to point toward
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. branch — a division
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pop — soda

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