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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: branch · club · root · current · pop · stem · prune · safe

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. current — electric
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. root — of a plant
  7. club — a group
  8. pop — music
  9. current — of water
  10. root — the cause
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. root — of a word
  13. pop — soda
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — to visit
  16. current — happening now
  17. stem — to come from
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. branch — a division
  23. club — for golf
  24. safe — out of danger

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