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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. land — a country
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. firm — steady
  6. stem — to come from
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bank — for money
  9. firm — a company
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. kick — in football
  13. land — ground
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. firm — decided
  17. key — in music
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. foot — a measure
  23. land — to come down
  24. key — for a lock

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