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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: firm · fan · stem · rest · bank · bound · pit · drill

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rest — what's left
  5. drill — the tool
  6. firm — decided
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — certain
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rest — a break
  13. pit — a hole
  14. drill — army training
  15. bound — obliged
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. bound — tied together
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fan — a supporter

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