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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: saw · stem · last · suit · perch · firm · scale · dip

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. saw — the tool
  3. dip — to sink
  4. suit — clothes
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — in cards
  10. scale — size or range
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. scale — in music
  14. firm — decided
  15. last — final
  16. last — finally
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. last — to go on
  22. perch — the fish
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stem — a stem cell

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