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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: patient · toast · stem · calf · plane · stock · branch · coach

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. branch — a division
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — goods
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. toast — bread
  21. stock — shares
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. stock — a soup base

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