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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: stick · kid · mark · charge · sharp · branch · dip · stem

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mark — a grade
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. kid — to tease
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stem — to come from
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. branch — a division
  15. kid — child
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — in control
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. charge — a price
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. branch — of a bank

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