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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bound — tied together
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. staff — employees
  5. net — in sport
  6. object — to protest
  7. suit — clothes
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — employees
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stem — to come from
  13. object — an aim
  14. suit — to fit
  15. staff — a stick
  16. net — after costs
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bound — certain
  21. object — a thing
  22. branch — a division
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bulb — of a plant

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