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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. spell — magic
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spell — letters
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bank — for money
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pitch — completely

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