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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: ground · content · sharp · stem · ruler · pound · branch · rock

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pound — a weight
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stem — to come from
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. branch — a division
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rock — music
  13. ground — a position
  14. content — the amount
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. content — happy
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. ground — the earth

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