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

Word bank: rule · racket · stem · wake · current · root · branch · chair

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. root — the cause
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stem — to come from
  6. branch — a division
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. rule — a law
  11. current — of water
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. current — happening now
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rule — government
  18. wake — a trail
  19. current — electric
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. root — of a word

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