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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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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: foot · stem · scale · mark · rush · fall · bank · bat

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bank — for money
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mark — a grade
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fall — the season
  14. scale — in music
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bank — for money
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bat — for baseball
  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