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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.

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: bank · fall · temple · ball · current · mouse · stem · mine

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. stem — to come from
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fall — the season
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. current — of water
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fall — to drop
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

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