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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 120 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: key · firm · rash · row · nail · stem · bank · swing

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. firm — steady
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rash — a series
  5. bank — for money
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stem — to come from
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — decided
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. key — in music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. key — for a lock
  16. row — to paddle
  17. firm — a company
  18. bank — for money
  19. rash — hasty
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. swing — music
  22. row — a line
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. row — a quarrel

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