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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: branch · stick · nail · net · track · stem · charge · bulb

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stem — to come from
  3. track — a path
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. branch — a division
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. track — to keep track
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. net — in sport
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — in control
  22. net — after costs
  23. track — a song
  24. net — for catching

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