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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: row · hand · branch · charge · rest · bound · bark · stem

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bound — certain
  5. rest — a break
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. hand — in cards
  10. charge — a price
  11. branch — a division
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a line
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stem — to come from
  21. hand — help
  22. bark — to shout
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bound — obliged

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