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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. march — the month
  3. prune — to trim
  4. march — the month
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. branch — a division
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. current — happening now
  11. march — music
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. root — the cause
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. current — electric
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. root — of a word
  22. bank — for money
  23. bark — to shout
  24. current — of water

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