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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 116 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: rest · bear · craft · staff · fine · stem · clip · branch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. clip — a video
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. clip — for paper
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. branch — a division
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rest — a break
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bear — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. bear — the animal
  18. clip — to cut
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. craft — a skill
  22. staff — employees
  23. craft — boats
  24. branch — of a tree

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