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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 120 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 · rush · stem · lie · bank · nail · land · snap

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. land — a country
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bank — for money
  14. snap — to click
  15. land — to come down
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. land — ground
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rush — hurry
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rush — to hurry

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