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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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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. present — there
  3. firm — steady
  4. hand — in cards
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — the time now
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. stem — to come from
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. chair — a leader
  20. hand — help
  21. firm — decided
  22. mark — a trace
  23. present — a gift
  24. tube — in a tire

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