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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. game — a match
  13. bank — of a river
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. game — wild animals

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