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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · fall · stem · chair · straw · suit · fine · row

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. row — a line
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. can — to be able to
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stem — to come from
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. can — a tin
  15. row — to paddle
  16. can — a tin
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. fall — the season
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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