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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: pitcher · branch · stem · face · lean · key · court · bowl

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. branch — a division
  4. face — to confront
  5. court — of a king
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. court — of law
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. face — to point toward
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. court — for sport
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stem — to come from
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. lean — to bend

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