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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: dip · branch · rush · march · craft · stem · calf · rock

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. march — the month
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. march — music
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. branch — a division
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. craft — boats
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rock — a stone
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. dip — to sink
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stem — to come from
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. march — the month

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