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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 120 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. press — newspapers
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. press — a publisher
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spring — of water
  12. stand — to bear
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stock — shares
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stock — goods
  20. present — a gift
  21. press — to push
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stem — to come from
  24. spring — the season

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