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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: racket · lie · stem · branch · spring · board · mouse · foot

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. foot — a measure
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spring — the season
  14. lie — to recline
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. spring — a coil
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. branch — a division
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. lie — an untruth

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