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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. branch — a division
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pound — a weight
  18. tear — from crying
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. tear — from crying
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stem — to come from
  24. vault — a safe

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