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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. net — after costs
  3. bank — for money
  4. net — for catching
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. net — in sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. saw — the tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bank — for money
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. squash — the sport
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. can — to be able to

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