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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · branch · bulb · stem · staff · wake · wave · club

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — to come from
  9. staff — employees
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bulb — for light
  12. staff — a stick
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. branch — a division
  17. staff — employees
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. club — a group
  22. row — a line
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. row — to paddle

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