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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · mark · mine · plane · bank · trunk · fine · stem

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — to come from
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bank — for money
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fine — high quality
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mark — a grade
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bank — of a river
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fine — all right

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