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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: branch · suit · stem · temple · jam · net · bark · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. suit — to fit
  7. net — after costs
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. net — in sport
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — clothes
  17. net — for catching
  18. bark — to shout
  19. suit — in cards
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. stem — to come from

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