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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: branch · can · bay · pit · stem · cue · bound · chest

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cue — for pool
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pit — in a race
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bound — certain
  10. branch — a division
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chest — a box
  15. bound — tied together
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stem — to come from

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