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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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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: toast · hide · vault · lash · track · bank · stem · branch

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. track — a path
  8. toast — bread
  9. track — a song
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. branch — a division
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bank — for money
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bank — for money
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. track — to keep track
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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