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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bore — to drill
  5. press — to push
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. press — a publisher
  9. land — ground
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. branch — a division
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bore — to tire
  21. land — a country
  22. dip — to sink
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stem — to come from

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