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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cap · stem · dip · arm · stock · firm · fall · coach

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fall — to drop
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cap — a lid
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stock — goods
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — to sink
  9. cap — a hat
  10. firm — a company
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stock — shares
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fall — the season
  22. firm — steady
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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