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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stem — to come from
  8. firm — steady
  9. mark — a trace
  10. sharp — clever
  11. firm — a company
  12. wound — an injury
  13. tube — a container
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — decided
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stem — of a plant

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