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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: rule · stem · craft · perch · rush · present · bank · branch

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — there
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. craft — boats
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. present — a gift
  10. rule — a law
  11. present — the time now
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. branch — a division
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bank — of a river
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. perch — the fish
  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