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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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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: field · race · stem · firm · scale · bowl · nail · stand

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. firm — a company
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. race — a contest
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. field — farmland
  17. stem — to come from
  18. race — humankind
  19. scale — size or range
  20. field — a subject
  21. scale — in music
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. field — for sport

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