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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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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: squash · stem · saw · deal · branch · hand · suit · fan

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. branch — a division
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stem — to come from
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. squash — the sport
  11. hand — help
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. saw — the tool
  20. hand — in cards
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. squash — to crush
  24. saw — the tool

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