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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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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: bank · bear · cell · pass · calf · fork · pound · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pound — a weight
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pass — to spend time

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