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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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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 · arm · bear · pound · hide · firm · rest · spell

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. spell — letters
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spell — magic
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. firm — a company
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — decided

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