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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. key — in music
  3. branch — a division
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. object — a thing
  6. key — for a lock
  7. object — an aim
  8. key — the most important part
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. kick — in football
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. object — to protest
  16. degree — an amount
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. kick — with a leg
  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