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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: fine · stem · rest · dip · deal · stand · mark · staff

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — to come from
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. staff — employees
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rest — a break
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stem — of a plant

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