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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 116 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: bear · prune · swing · rock · rule · pass · branch · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. swing — music
  3. branch — a division
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rule — government
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — a stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rule — a law
  22. rock — music
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stem — of a plant

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