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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 116 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 · stem · mug · deal · face · straw · pass · last

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. last — finally
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pass — a permit
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. deal — to handle
  10. face — to point toward
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. face — to confront
  18. stem — to come from
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. face — part of the head
  23. last — final
  24. last — to go on

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