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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. row — to paddle
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cue — for pool
  5. face — to confront
  6. cue — a signal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. march — music
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mug — to rob
  12. march — the month
  13. mug — a face
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stem — to come from
  17. row — a line
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. march — the month
  23. cue — a hint
  24. branch — a division

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