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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: spring · ruler · stand · wound · content · cue · bank · staff

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — for money
  4. staff — employees
  5. spring — the season
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spring — of water
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. staff — a stick
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — employees
  13. content — happy
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cue — for pool
  16. content — the amount
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cue — a signal
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bank — of a river

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