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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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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: fan · saw · rush · pit · chair · dip · bank · stem

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bank — for money
  24. dip — a sauce

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