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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.

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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: foot · firm · suit · rule · fall · stem · lean · bass

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. firm — steady
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rule — a law
  6. bass — low music
  7. stem — to come from
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rule — government
  10. bass — the fish
  11. firm — decided
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lean — to bend
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fall — the season
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. firm — a company
  24. fall — to drop

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