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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: branch · kick · rock · key · patient · stem · pitcher · toast

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. toast — bread
  5. rock — a stone
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. key — the most important part
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. key — for a lock
  14. kick — in football
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rock — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. branch — a division
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — to come from
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. key — in music

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