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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 116 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 · stem · lean · bat · ball · clip · deal · safe

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lean — thin
  5. bat — the animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. deal — to handle
  10. firm — steady
  11. ball — a great time
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stem — to come from
  14. clip — for paper
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. clip — to cut
  17. firm — decided
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. firm — a company
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. clip — a video
  24. stem — a stem cell

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