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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — soda
  4. club — a group
  5. pop — to visit
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bore — to drill
  10. spring — the season
  11. branch — a division
  12. pop — music
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spring — of water
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. club — for golf

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