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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: spring · stem · cue · bank · foot · hand · wound · bore

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cue — a signal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — help
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bank — for money
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cue — a hint
  17. spring — the season
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bore — to drill
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. spring — of water
  23. stem — to come from
  24. spring — a coil

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