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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: craft · stem · present · branch · sharp · cabinet · bark · scale

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — there
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. branch — a division
  11. scale — size or range
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. scale — in music
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. present — a gift
  19. sharp — clever
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stem — to come from
  24. present — the time now

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