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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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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: bear · bank · fork · land · march · rock · snap · stem

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bank — for money
  5. march — the month
  6. rock — music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. land — to come down
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. land — ground
  14. snap — to click
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bear — the animal
  18. land — a country
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — of a plant

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