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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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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: squash · cell · rule · mark · branch · stand · row · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cell — in biology
  4. branch — a division
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. row — a line
  13. cell — a phone
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rule — a law
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. squash — to crush
  23. stand — to bear
  24. row — a quarrel

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