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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. branch — a division
  13. craft — boats
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. swing — in golf
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cell — a phone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stem — to come from
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bear — to put up with

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