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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 120 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: spell · file · staff · stem · firm · stand · fan · current

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. current — of water
  4. staff — employees
  5. current — electric
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. spell — letters
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stand — to bear
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. current — happening now
  13. firm — steady
  14. file — a line of people
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. firm — decided
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short time

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