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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bank — for money
  9. rest — a break
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pop — to visit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pop — music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pop — soda
  22. bear — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rest — what's left

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