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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: stem · mate · can · swing · branch · net · toast · bowl

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. toast — bread
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mate — to breed
  6. net — after costs
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. can — a tin
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. net — for catching
  15. stem — to come from
  16. net — in sport
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. mate — a partner
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mate — a friend

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