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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — a company
  8. bank — of a river
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — there
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. firm — decided
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rush — hurry
  22. firm — steady
  23. bank — for money
  24. straw — dry grass

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