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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: stick · prune · stem · trunk · branch · bank · track · coach

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bank — for money
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bank — of a river
  10. track — to keep track
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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