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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: pitch · suit · stem · fork · tear · bank · shower · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bound — certain
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — in a road
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. tear — from crying
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bank — of a river
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tear — to rip
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. shower — rain

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