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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 · rock · land · foot · bank · row · dip · bear

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. foot — a measure
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — a country
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — a line
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. dip — to sink
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. land — to come down
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. land — ground
  22. rock — music
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bear — the animal

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