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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: capital · firm · fine · stick · stem · spell · prune · rush

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. firm — steady
  3. spell — letters
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — hurry
  6. capital — a city
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fine — all right
  16. firm — a company
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. capital — money
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — decided

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