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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. board — to get on
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. march — the month
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. board — a committee
  8. rash — a series
  9. firm — a company
  10. march — music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. march — the month
  13. rash — hasty
  14. stem — to come from
  15. firm — steady
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — decided
  19. branch — a division
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. foot — a measure
  24. branch — of a tree

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