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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.

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: branch · ground · vault · leaves · stem · chip · lean · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stem — to come from
  4. lean — to bend
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. branch — a division
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lean — thin
  24. chip — to eat

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