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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 124 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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rest — what's left
  4. content — the amount
  5. fork — in a road
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mug — a face
  12. branch — a division
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rash — a series
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. content — happy
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. roll — a list
  23. rest — a break
  24. fork — to eat with

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