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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: stem · bank · kick · ball · rock · pit · staff · shower

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. shower — rain
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bank — for money
  10. staff — employees
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rock — music
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. staff — employees
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. bank — for money
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rock — a stone

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