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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. saw — the tool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. stem — to come from
  7. foot — a measure
  8. branch — a division
  9. press — a publisher
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. hand — help
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — to push
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. hand — in cards

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