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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 116 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: stand · can · land · stem · wound · bank · racket · rule

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — government
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — for money
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. land — to come down
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. land — ground
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bank — of a river
  19. stand — to bear
  20. can — a tin
  21. land — a country
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bank — for money

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