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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: mark · branch · rock · stem · spell · lean

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spell — letters
  5. branch — a division
  6. spell — magic
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — music

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