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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bank — of a river
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. mark — a trace
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. season — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. season — of the year

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