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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: hide · bank · pitch · stem · rock · present · rash · scale

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. present — a gift
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. present — there
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rash — hasty
  11. present — the time now
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bank — of a river
  15. scale — in music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bank — for money
  24. rock — 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