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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. fine — all right
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. branch — a division
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bound — certain
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mouse — for a computer

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