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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. cue — a signal
  4. object — an aim
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. current — of water
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. current — happening now
  11. chip — for betting
  12. object — a thing
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. object — to protest
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. branch — a division
  17. cue — for pool
  18. current — electric
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cue — a hint
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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