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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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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: kick · can · stem · mark · hand · branch · track · wave

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. can — a tin
  4. track — a song
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. hand — in cards
  7. kick — in football
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. track — a path
  22. hand — help
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mark — to pay attention

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