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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mate — to breed
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. cell — a phone
  15. game — a match
  16. mate — a friend
  17. game — wild animals
  18. cell — in biology
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wax — to grow
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. stem — to come from

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