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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 120 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: rest · firm · mate · racket · foot · stem · bank · tube

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. firm — decided
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. firm — steady
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stem — to come from
  11. firm — a company
  12. bank — of a river
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rest — what's left
  16. tube — the underground
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. mate — to breed
  20. tube — a container
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bank — for money

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