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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.

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: fan · stem · temple · firm · bear · bowl · wound · net

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. net — after costs
  6. bear — the animal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. firm — decided
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — a company
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. firm — steady
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. net — in sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. net — for catching
  24. bowl — a dish

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