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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: foot · can · firm · tear · branch · squash · stem · jam

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. tear — from crying
  11. can — a tin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. branch — a division
  14. firm — a company
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. tear — to rip
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. can — to be able to
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. squash — the sport

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