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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · stem · content · branch · present · season · tube · deal

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. content — happy
  3. deal — to handle
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. present — the time now
  7. content — the amount
  8. stem — to come from
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. tube — a container
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. present — there
  22. season — of the year
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. season — in sport

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