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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 120 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: firm · object · stem · bore · rule · field · wake · bank

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. object — an aim
  3. rule — a law
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. firm — decided
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. firm — a company
  15. rule — government
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. field — a subject
  19. object — to protest
  20. field — farmland
  21. bank — for money
  22. object — a thing
  23. field — for sport
  24. firm — steady

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