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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · object · shower · arm · toast · hide · stem · fall

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fall — the season
  4. branch — a division
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. shower — to wash
  9. fall — to drop
  10. object — to protest
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. object — an aim
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. object — a thing
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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