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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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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: swing · stem · leaves · fan · bank · ball · content · stock

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stem — to come from
  8. content — the amount
  9. ball — a great time
  10. swing — music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stock — shares
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — goods
  22. content — happy
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ball — a dance

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