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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: rush · field · rest · lean · stem · bank · bowl · stand

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stem — to come from
  3. lean — thin
  4. rest — a break
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rush — hurry
  19. field — for sport
  20. bank — for money
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. bowl — a dish

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