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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · racket · stem · rule · bark · bank

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. object — an aim
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rule — a law
  13. stem — to come from
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rule — government
  17. bank — for money
  18. object — to protest

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