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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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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: cabinet · ground · branch · suit · wake · stem · saw · wave

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. suit — clothes

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