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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: stem · object · band · stick · plane · bulb · capital · bank

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. object — to protest
  5. band — a music group
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. plane — a tool
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a city
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — for light
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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