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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. firm — steady
  3. drill — army training
  4. stem — to come from
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bank — of a river
  7. firm — decided
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — in football
  10. bank — for money
  11. degree — an amount
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. degree — from a university
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. firm — a company
  22. drill — a practice
  23. degree — temperature
  24. stand — on your feet

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