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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stem — to come from
  5. net — for catching
  6. bound — certain
  7. net — after costs
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to confront
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — a division
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bound — tied together
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. face — part of the head
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — in sport
  23. roll — a list
  24. face — to point toward

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