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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: rest · branch · racket · kick · tube · key · stem · file

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. file — a document
  3. rest — a break
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tube — a container
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stem — to come from
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. file — a line of people
  11. key — in music
  12. kick — in football
  13. branch — a division
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rest — what's left
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. file — a tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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