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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 116 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: leaves · wave · track · coach · branch · spell · stem · rock

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rock — music
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spell — letters
  18. track — a song
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. track — a path
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spell — magic

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