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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: firm · suit · leaves · cap · stem · branch · saw · bound

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stem — to come from
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bound — tied together
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. saw — the tool
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — steady
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bound — obliged
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bound — certain
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. firm — decided
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cap — a hat
  18. firm — a company
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cap — a lid
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. branch — a division

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