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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.

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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: stem · mate · can · chip · bank · rash · stand · branch

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bank — for money
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rash — a series
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — a division
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. can — a tin

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