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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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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: ground · stem · kid · coach · net · bank · pit · dip

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pit — a hole
  4. net — after costs
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bank — for money
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — a position
  15. kid — to tease
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. kid — child
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. dip — to dunk

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