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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 · stand · ground · current · bulb · perch · suit · stick

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. suit — to fit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bulb — for light
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. perch — the fish
  15. current — of water
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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