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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: land · branch · stem · bear · staff · content · spring · charge

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. charge — a price
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stem — to come from
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. content — the amount
  9. staff — employees
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. charge — electricity
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. staff — employees
  16. spring — of water
  17. charge — in control
  18. land — a country
  19. bear — the animal
  20. content — happy
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. land — to come down
  23. branch — a division
  24. land — ground

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