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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bound — certain
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. bound — tied together
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bank — of a river

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