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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: foot · lean · rule · bank · court · stem · bass · lie

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. court — of law
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stem — to come from
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. court — for sport
  12. bass — the fish
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bank — for money
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lean — thin
  17. court — of a king
  18. bank — of a river
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. bass — low music

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