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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bound — tied together
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. present — the time now
  6. deal — to handle
  7. drill — army training
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bound — certain
  12. board — to get on
  13. present — a gift
  14. bound — obliged
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. board — a committee
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. present — there

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