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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: capital · lean · trunk · stem · branch · mouse · track · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. track — a song
  4. branch — a division
  5. track — a path
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lean — thin
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. capital — money
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. capital — a city
  24. branch — of a bank

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