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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. tube — the underground
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stem — to come from
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. firm — a company
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. tube — a container
  16. firm — steady
  17. branch — a division
  18. chip — for betting
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. firm — decided
  22. mine — for digging
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bear — to put up with

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