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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. kick — in football
  4. bank — of a river
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bank — for money
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wake — a trail
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pound — a weight
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. band — a music group
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bank — for money
  24. band — a ring

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