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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fine — high quality
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — a company
  6. capital — money
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. firm — decided
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — a thing
  18. capital — a city
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fine — all right
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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