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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: stem · season · cue · pit · branch · bank · can · jam

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — in sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stem — to come from
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. can — a tin
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — a hole
  14. cue — a hint
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bank — for money
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. branch — a division
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cue — a signal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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