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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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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: row · cabinet · firm · racket · fan · stem · rock · game

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. firm — decided
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. firm — steady
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rock — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — a stone
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. firm — a company
  12. row — a line
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. row — to paddle
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stem — to come from
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. game — a match
  24. stem — a stem cell

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