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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: last · chip · firm · fall · stem · field · fine · straw

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. field — a subject
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. field — farmland
  6. fall — the season
  7. fine — all right
  8. firm — a company
  9. last — to go on
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. last — finally
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. last — final
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. firm — decided
  19. fall — to drop
  20. firm — steady
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. field — for sport
  23. stem — to come from
  24. straw — dry grass

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