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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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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 · straw · deal · wind · rest · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. rest — what's left
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rest — a break
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wind — moving air

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