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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: fork · stem · date · branch · staff · wake · wax · charge

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. staff — employees
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fork — in a road
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. branch — a division
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. wake — a trail
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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