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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 116 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: bore · firm · object · bank · field · racket · kid · stem

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bore — to drill
  3. kid — child
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. kid — to tease
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — to protest
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. stem — to come from
  13. field — farmland
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. field — for sport
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. field — a subject
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. firm — a company
  23. object — a thing
  24. firm — decided

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