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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. branch — a division
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — steady
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. mate — to breed
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mate — a partner
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mate — a friend
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bank — of a river
  23. firm — a company
  24. bank — for money

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