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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: mine · bank · spell · kick · bulb · stem · lean · arm

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bank — for money
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — for digging
  12. spell — letters
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bank — for money
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spell — magic
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lean — to bend
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. lean — thin
  24. spell — a short time

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