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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: bank · content · nail · stem · can · bowl · file · bass

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bank — of a river
  6. file — a line of people
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bank — for money
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. bass — low music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bank — for money
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. file — a document
  18. bass — the fish
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stem — to come from
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. file — a tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. content — videos and posts

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