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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: spell · wax · safe · rest · fork · branch · chip · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chip — to eat
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wax — to grow
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fork — in a road
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stem — to come from
  20. spell — letters
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. spell — magic

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