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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. swing — music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. present — the time now
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. branch — a division
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. present — there
  15. swing — in golf
  16. squash — to crush
  17. present — a gift
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. squash — the sport
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stem — to come from
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. sharp — clever
  24. swing — to play on

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