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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. tear — from crying
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. charge — in control
  7. tear — to rip
  8. rest — a break
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — a stick
  21. branch — a division
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bulb — for light

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