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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stem — to come from
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. craft — boats
  11. suit — to fit
  12. craft — a skill
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. press — to push
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mine — belonging to me

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