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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 116 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: present · rule · wake · fall · staff · bark · bank · stem

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bark — to shout
  6. staff — employees
  7. rule — government
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bank — for money
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. fall — the season
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. staff — employees
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stem — to come from

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