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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 120 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 · wax · cell · hand · stand · cabinet · stem · bulb

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wax — to grow
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. hand — in cards
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. hand — help
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stand — to bear
  24. hand — part of the body

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