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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. drill — army training
  3. stem — to come from
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. object — an aim
  6. spring — of water
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bank — for money
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — of a river
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bank — for money
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. spring — the season
  24. branch — a division

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