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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: craft · temple · season · branch · tube · stem · safe · wake

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stem — to come from
  4. branch — a division
  5. season — of the year
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. craft — boats
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wake — a trail
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. tube — a container
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. season — in sport
  22. tube — the underground
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stem — a stem cell

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