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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — to handle
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. suit — clothes
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — in cards
  12. craft — boats
  13. branch — a division
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — to fit
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. branch — of a tree

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