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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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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: mark · staff · prune · bat · craft · bank · stem · branch

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bank — of a river
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mark — a grade
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stem — to come from
  11. branch — a division
  12. bank — for money
  13. staff — employees
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mark — a trace
  18. craft — boats
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bat — the animal
  24. craft — a skill

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