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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: straw · wake · bank · rest · bark · fan · stem · pit

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bank — for money
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pit — in a race
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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