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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cell — a phone
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. scale — size or range
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rule — government
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. scale — in music
  15. stem — to come from
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cell — in biology
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. branch — a division
  24. firm — a company

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