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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: fork · pit · fine · stem · bank · tear · ball · land

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ball — a great time
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. land — a country
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fork — in a road
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fine — all right
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bank — for money
  16. pit — in a race
  17. land — to come down
  18. tear — to rip
  19. stem — to come from
  20. land — ground
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bank — for money

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