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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 · firm · bear · nail · last · temple · pitch · deal

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — to go on
  3. firm — decided
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. firm — steady
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stem — to come from
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — a company
  19. last — finally
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bear — to put up with

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