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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
468
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: chest · content · stem · branch · nail · stand · rock · mug

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. branch — a division
  4. stem — to come from
  5. chest — of your body
  6. content — happy
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. chest — of your body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — music
  13. chest — a box
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mug — to rob
  20. content — the amount
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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