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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. press — newspapers
  3. season — in sport
  4. club — for golf
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. sharp — clever
  8. press — a publisher
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. club — a group
  14. cue — a hint
  15. branch — a division
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. season — of the year
  21. press — to push
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. club — for dancing

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