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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. band — a music group
  4. game — wild animals
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ground — a position
  9. stem — to come from
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. branch — a division
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ground — the earth
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. band — a ring
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. vault — a safe

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