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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: wake · stem · wound · bark · file · lean · branch · press

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. file — a line of people
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. file — a tool
  13. stem — to come from
  14. press — a publisher
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lean — thin
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. lean — to bend
  23. file — a document
  24. press — to push

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