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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: stem · present · leaves · mate · bear · branch · chip · pop

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. present — a gift
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mate — to breed
  6. present — the time now
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stem — to come from
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pop — music
  18. branch — a division
  19. present — there
  20. chip — for betting
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pop — soda
  24. mate — a partner

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