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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. key — in music
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bear — the animal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wake — a trail
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. branch — a division
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stem — a stem cell

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