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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: last · stem · plane · staff · fork · root · perch · branch

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. root — of a plant
  6. fork — in a road
  7. plane — a tool
  8. root — the cause
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. perch — the fish
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. staff — a stick
  19. last — to go on
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. branch — a division
  23. perch — for a bird
  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