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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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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: stem · firm · track · cabinet · rock · bear · scale · capital

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. track — a path
  11. capital — a city
  12. bear — the animal
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rock — a stone
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — music
  20. track — a song
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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