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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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Word bank
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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: stem · press · bore · branch · hand · land · bay · hide

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. bore — to tire
  4. land — a country
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. branch — a division
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. press — to push
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stem — to come from
  14. land — ground
  15. hand — in cards
  16. land — to come down
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. press — a publisher
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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