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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: cabinet · deal · nail · toast · mark · stem · land · fall

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mark — a trace
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fall — to drop
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fall — to drop
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. land — ground
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — to come from
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fall — the season
  21. toast — bread
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. land — a country

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