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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: object · prune · stem · branch · coach · fork · row · pit

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. object — a thing
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. row — a line
  8. object — an aim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. row — to paddle
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stem — to come from
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. object — to protest
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. prune — to trim
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. prune — to trim

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