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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: current · firm · stem · cabinet · spell · dip · pound · nail

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. current — happening now
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. current — of water
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. firm — decided
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — letters
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. current — electric
  22. firm — a company
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. spell — magic

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