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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · straw · bear · stem · plane · net · rash · racket

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rash — a series
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. net — after costs
  8. rash — hasty
  9. net — in sport
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — to come from
  12. plane — a tool
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bank — for money
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. net — for catching
  24. plane — an aircraft

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