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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. present — a gift
  7. staff — a stick
  8. present — there
  9. object — to protest
  10. ball — a great time
  11. object — a thing
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mate — a partner
  17. staff — employees
  18. cue — a hint
  19. object — an aim
  20. cue — for pool
  21. branch — a division
  22. present — the time now
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mate — to breed

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