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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: can · mark · staff · bass · stem · bank · row · jam

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. staff — employees
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. can — to be able to
  6. staff — a stick
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bass — the fish
  9. can — a tin
  10. staff — employees
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. can — a tin
  13. row — a line
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bass — low music
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bank — of a river
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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