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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. land — ground
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. land — to come down
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. land — a country
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — the tool
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. saw — the tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stem — to come from

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