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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rash — hasty
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rash — a series
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. stem — to come from
  8. craft — a skill
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. craft — boats
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. swing — in golf
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. swing — music
  21. fine — high quality
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fine — all right

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