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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: branch · shower · tube · scale · stem · safe · file · suit

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. tube — the underground
  5. suit — in cards
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. file — a line of people
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stem — to come from
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — clothes
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. shower — to wash
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. branch — a division
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. suit — to fit

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