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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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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: fan · degree · present · stem · lean · firm · board · tube

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. degree — temperature
  8. board — a committee
  9. firm — a company
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. degree — from a university
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lean — to bend
  14. degree — an amount
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. firm — decided
  18. present — there
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lean — thin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. board — to get on

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