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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. net — in sport
  3. present — the time now
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. net — for catching
  14. rock — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. game — a match
  21. net — after costs
  22. present — there
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rock — a stone

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