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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: sharp · branch · rush · stem · bowl · rash · lean · rest

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rash — a series
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rash — hasty
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lean — thin
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. branch — a division
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rest — what's left
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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