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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. toast — bread
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. root — the cause
  18. branch — a division
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rock — music
  24. root — of a word

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