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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: mate · root · branch · suit · trunk · stick · rock · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — in cards
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rule — government
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rock — music
  10. root — the cause
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mate — a partner
  15. root — of a word
  16. branch — a division
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. suit — clothes

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