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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: rush · stem · branch · suit · rock · chair · jam · march

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — music
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chair — a leader
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rock — a stone
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. march — the month
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. march — music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. suit — in cards

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