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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. court — of law
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. court — for sport
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. charge — a price
  10. court — of a king
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. charge — in control
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pitch — completely
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bank — of a river
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — to come from

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