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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bore — to tire
  5. net — after costs
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. net — in sport
  9. stem — to come from
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. mate — to breed
  13. branch — a division
  14. present — there
  15. current — happening now
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. mate — a partner
  19. staff — a stick
  20. present — a gift
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bore — to drill
  23. present — the time now
  24. net — for catching

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