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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.

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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: stem · lie · land · stand · bass · deal · suit · arm

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. land — a country
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stand — to bear
  7. suit — to fit
  8. land — ground
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. land — to come down
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bass — low music
  24. stand — for spectators

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