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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 124 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. season — in sport
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. firm — a company
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. firm — decided
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. season — of the year
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rule — a law
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pound — a weight
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cap — a hat
  19. branch — a division
  20. rule — government
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cap — of ice
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stem — to come from

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