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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: rule · bank · pitcher · lie · mouse · rash · stem · bear

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rash — a series
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rule — government
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bank — for money
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rule — a law
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bank — for money
  24. mouse — for a computer

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