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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: stem · nail · charge · bank · straw · racket · bark · branch

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. charge — in control
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. charge — a price
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. charge — electricity
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bank — for money
  23. bark — to shout
  24. straw — dry grass

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