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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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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: cell · branch · ruler · stem · bowl · stock · bass · calf

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stock — goods
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cell — in biology
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. stock — shares
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — to come from
  23. branch — a division
  24. ruler — for measuring

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