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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: present · trunk · bass · pitcher · branch · root · rock · jam

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bass — low music
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rock — music
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. bass — the fish
  11. present — there
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. branch — a division
  14. root — the cause
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. root — of a word
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bass — the instrument

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