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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · branch · stem · cap · track · fine · stick · ground

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — a song
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cap — a lid
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. branch — a division
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ground — a position
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. track — a path
  18. ground — crushed
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. fine — high quality
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ground — the earth
  24. dip — a sauce

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