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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · lash · roll · can · wound · capital · stem · bank

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. capital — a city
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. roll — a list
  10. can — a tin
  11. bank — for money
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. capital — 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