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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: trunk · branch · tube · stand · bear · stem · saw · leaves

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stem — to come from
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — the underground
  9. branch — a division
  10. tube — a container
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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