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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. track — a path
  5. charge — electricity
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. staff — employees
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. staff — a stick
  15. track — a song
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. branch — a division
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. staff — employees
  23. track — to keep track
  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