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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: pound · wake · dip · chip · fine · roll · stem · branch

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. stem — to come from
  2. roll — a list
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. roll — a cake
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chip — for betting
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pound — a weight
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. wake — a trail
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fine — all right
  23. branch — a division
  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