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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: nail · wound · firm · pitch · stem · branch · rush · bear

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. firm — decided
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pitch — completely
  23. firm — steady
  24. pitch — a sports field

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