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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: tube · branch · bound · stem · wave · pound · suit · wake

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. branch — of a bank
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. stem — to come from
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. suit — clothes
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — a weight
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bound — certain
  14. tube — a container
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wake — a trail
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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