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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. game — a match
  13. saw — the tool
  14. spell — letters
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. charge — a price
  18. spell — magic
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stem — to come from
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. branch — a division

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