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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: kick · date · saw · pop · bank · stem · pitcher · rock

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. kick — in football
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bank — for money
  6. rock — music
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pop — to visit
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pop — soda
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pop — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stem — of a plant

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