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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: fan · safe · branch · row · nail · object · stem · can

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. object — to protest
  7. can — to be able to
  8. row — a line
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. can — a tin
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. object — a thing
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. object — an aim
  21. branch — a division
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — a supporter

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