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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · stem · suit · bank · foot · fan · file · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. file — a line of people
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stem — to come from
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. file — a tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. file — a document
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — in a race

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