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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: fork · firm · craft · arm · last · stem · lean · stand

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. firm — steady
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — a company
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stem — to come from
  10. last — finally
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fork — in a road
  15. craft — boats
  16. last — to go on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. lean — thin
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — to bend
  22. firm — decided
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. last — final

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