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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.

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: pop · kid · rash · bank · plane · band · stem · jam

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. kid — child
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pop — music
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bank — of a river
  9. kid — to tease
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bank — for money
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rash — hasty
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. bank — for money
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. plane — in geometry

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