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

Word bank: wave · bear · firm · perch · cell · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. firm — decided
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cell — in biology
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cell — a phone
  14. stem — to come from
  15. perch — the fish
  16. firm — steady
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. firm — a company

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