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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: stem · roll · rush · fork · stand · cabinet · band · land

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. band — a music group
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stem — to come from
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — in a road
  13. land — to come down
  14. roll — a list
  15. land — a country
  16. roll — a cake
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. band — a ring
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — ground
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. band — a rubber band

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