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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.

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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: content · scale · racket · stem · file · bank · bore · staff

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. content — happy
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — to tire
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bank — for money
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bank — of a river
  11. file — a line of people
  12. content — the amount
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. staff — employees
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. file — a tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. file — a document
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bore — to drill
  24. staff — employees

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