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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: can · mug · temple · deal · wave · branch · stem · scale

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. branch — a division
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. scale — in music
  9. can — a tin
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mug — a cup
  13. can — a tin
  14. mug — a face
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. deal — to handle
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. can — to be able to
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. scale — size or range

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