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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: stem · scale · firm · rest · fork · bear · press · bank

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. firm — decided
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stem — to come from
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. firm — a company
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. firm — steady
  16. rest — a break
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. scale — in music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. press — to push
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — a stem cell

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