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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. charge — in control
  3. track — a song
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. hand — help
  7. track — to keep track
  8. land — to come down
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — for a lock
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stem — to come from
  14. land — a country
  15. charge — a price
  16. branch — a division
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. key — the most important part
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. charge — electricity
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. key — in music
  24. land — ground

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