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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · branch · stem · nail · stock · bark · bowl · straw

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bark — to shout
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cell — in biology
  8. branch — a division
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. stock — goods
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stock — shares
  19. cell — a phone
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stem — a stem cell

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