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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 120 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: rule · firm · can · stock · saw · lean · branch · cell

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stock — shares
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — decided
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — a division
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. rule — government
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. can — to be able to
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. rule — a law
  19. cell — in biology
  20. lean — thin
  21. cell — a phone
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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