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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a line of people
  5. object — to protest
  6. pound — a weight
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. swing — music
  14. object — a thing
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. file — a tool
  23. swing — to play on
  24. file — a document

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