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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 116 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: stem · face · firm · wave · bank · fall · sharp · net

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stem — to come from
  3. net — for catching
  4. sharp — clever
  5. firm — a company
  6. bank — of a river
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — to confront
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. face — part of the head
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fall — to drop
  15. net — after costs
  16. firm — steady
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. net — in sport
  19. fall — the season
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. face — to point toward
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. firm — decided

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