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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 120 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: perch · lean · branch · stem · present · sharp · staff · charge

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. branch — a division
  5. charge — electricity
  6. sharp — clever
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. lean — to bend
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — the time now
  12. staff — a stick
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stem — to come from
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. perch — the fish
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — in control

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