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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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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fine — high quality
  5. land — ground
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fine — all right
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. rest — what's left
  11. land — a country
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. current — electric
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. current — happening now
  16. rest — a break
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. current — of water
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bank — of a river
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stem — to come from

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