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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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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: bay · bank · rush · rule · prune · pop · stick · stem

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stem — to come from
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bank — for money
  18. rule — a law
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rule — government
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pop — soda
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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