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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bass — low music
  15. tube — a container
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. tube — the underground
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. branch — a division
  24. pitcher — a jug

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