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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: net · rock · branch · staff · stem · tube · track · club

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. branch — a division
  4. net — for catching
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. track — a path
  8. staff — employees
  9. net — after costs
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rock — a stone
  15. club — a group
  16. staff — a stick
  17. track — to keep track
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. net — in sport
  21. track — a song
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. club — for golf
  24. staff — employees

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