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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. staff — a stick
  7. branch — a division
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. shower — to wash
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wake — a trail
  13. staff — employees
  14. stem — to come from
  15. season — in sport
  16. object — to protest
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — rain
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. staff — employees
  22. season — of the year
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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