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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. track — to keep track
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pitch — completely
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rest — what's left
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. firm — decided
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. track — a path
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. rest — a break
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. track — a song
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. firm — steady

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