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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. 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. pitcher — a jug
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. object — to protest
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. object — a thing
  14. stock — shares
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bank — for money
  17. charge — a price
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stock — goods
  20. charge — in control
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. object — an aim
  24. 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