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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
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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: land · court · race · bank · can · hide · stem · rock

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. court — of law
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. court — of a king
  4. race — the arms race
  5. court — for sport
  6. rock — music
  7. can — a tin
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. land — to come down
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. land — a country
  16. race — humankind
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. land — ground
  19. rock — a stone
  20. race — a contest
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stem — to come from
  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