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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: mouse · branch · lie · wave · present · stem · land · track

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. present — the time now
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. track — a path
  7. land — a country
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a song
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. track — to keep track
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lie — to recline
  21. branch — a division
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. land — ground
  24. mouse — the animal

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