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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: season · bank · lean · stem · stick · staff · rule · branch

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lean — to bend
  5. branch — a division
  6. bank — for money
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rule — a law
  10. bank — of a river
  11. lean — thin
  12. rule — government
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stem — to come from
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. season — in sport
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. staff — employees
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — of the year
  24. staff — employees

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