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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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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: race · bank · can · degree · mug · stem · fine · bore

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mug — a cup
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. race — humankind
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bank — for money
  12. degree — temperature
  13. stem — to come from
  14. race — the arms race
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a face
  17. fine — all right
  18. race — a contest
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bore — to drill
  22. degree — from a university
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. degree — an amount

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