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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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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: bank · wake · land · stem · vault · sharp · ruler · fork

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. land — ground
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. land — a country
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. sharp — clever
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bank — for money
  21. vault — a safe
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — a trail

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