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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: tear · stem · bank · bulb · net · mine · charge · can

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. tear — to rip
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — in sport
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — a price
  12. mine — for digging
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tear — from crying
  15. charge — in control
  16. can — a tin
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — for money
  22. net — after costs
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — belonging to me

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