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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: tube · temple · stem · fork · pitcher · bank · firm · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. firm — steady
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bank — for money
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bank — of a river
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. firm — a company
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bank — for money
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. tube — a container
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stem — to come from
  24. firm — decided

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