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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: ruler · stem · cold · stick · suit · firm · pitcher · jam

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stem — to come from
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cold — an illness
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. firm — a company
  24. cold — not warm

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