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

Word bank: pound · stem · wind · dip · bank · lean

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wind — moving air
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. lean — to bend
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lean — thin
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bank — for money

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