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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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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: ball · can · trunk · stem · branch · rock · rule · pass

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rule — a law
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rule — government
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stem — to come from
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rock — music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. branch — a division
  24. trunk — 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