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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: firm · rule · stem · spring · rest · key · craft · branch

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. firm — steady
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. craft — boats
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. spring — the season
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. key — for a lock
  16. spring — a coil
  17. branch — a division
  18. rule — a law
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — to come from
  22. key — in music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. spring — of water

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