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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: fine · wake · stem · rush · foot · bank · scale · object

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stem — to come from
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. object — to protest
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. fine — all right
  13. foot — a measure
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wake — a trail
  24. foot — part of the body

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