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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. object — a thing
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bark — to shout
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. object — an aim
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. ground — a position
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — a permit
  15. object — to protest
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — for betting

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