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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: present · chest · branch · temple · firm · stem · key · bulb

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. present — a gift
  5. branch — a division
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chest — of your body
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. stem — to come from
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. present — there
  21. chest — a box
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  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