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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — a division
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a path
  8. stem — to come from
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mark — a grade
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. key — in music
  17. mark — a trace
  18. track — a song
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rule — government
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rule — a law

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