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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: foot · race · firm · stem · tube · spring · branch · kick

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. race — a contest
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. firm — steady
  5. foot — a measure
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. tube — a container
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. race — the arms race
  14. firm — decided
  15. spring — a coil
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. race — humankind
  20. kick — in football
  21. tube — the underground
  22. firm — a company
  23. stem — to come from
  24. foot — part of the body

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