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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · fork · squash · stem · court · date · firm · scale

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. date — the fruit
  3. scale — size or range
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — in music
  6. firm — a company
  7. fork — in a road
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. squash — to crush
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. firm — steady
  19. suit — in cards
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. suit — to fit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fork — a garden tool

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