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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · lie · lean · stem · branch · safe · spell · fork

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stem — to come from
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — letters
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. lean — thin
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stem — a stem cell

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