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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: game · key · leaves · plane · wake · branch · lash · stem

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stem — to come from
  8. key — in music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. key — the most important part
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wake — a trail
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. branch — a division
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. plane — a tool
  21. game — a match
  22. key — for a lock
  23. game — wild animals
  24. plane — in geometry

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