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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: chip · bound · tear · fine · stem · leaves · clip · branch

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. clip — to cut
  7. fine — all right
  8. bound — tied together
  9. branch — a division
  10. bound — certain
  11. chip — to eat
  12. clip — for paper
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. fine — high quality
  20. clip — a video
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chip — for betting
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. branch — of a bank

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