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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: firm · hide · stem · mate · mine · perch · nail · lean

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. firm — a company
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mine — for digging
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lean — thin
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. firm — steady
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lean — to bend
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stem — of a plant

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