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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: shower · trunk · stem · lean · stand · bank · bulb · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lean — thin
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rule — government
  5. stand — to bear
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. shower — rain
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. rule — a law
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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