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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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468
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: spring · stem · suit · fork · rule · ball · leaves · rest

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. ball — a dance
  4. spring — a coil
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rule — a law
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spring — of water
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rule — government
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rest — what's left
  17. suit — clothes
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rest — a break

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