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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · present · stem · nail · ground · branch · bowl · bay

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pop — music
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. present — the time now
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pop — soda
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ground — a position
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. present — a gift
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. present — there
  22. pop — to visit
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — a division

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