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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: branch · arm · trunk · stem · cue · stick · object · chair

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stem — to come from
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. branch — a division
  9. object — to protest
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. object — a thing
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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