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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — a division
  5. scale — in music
  6. rock — music
  7. mug — a face
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rock — a stone
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rush — to hurry

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