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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. dip — to sink
  3. swing — in golf
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. branch — a division
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. object — to protest
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. swing — to play on
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. object — an aim
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. swing — music
  18. ground — crushed
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ground — a position
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — a thing
  24. stem — of a plant

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