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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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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: ground · branch · rush · spring · stand · stem · hide · calf

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ground — the earth
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ground — a position
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. branch — a division
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. spring — a coil

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