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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: stick · firm · stem · nail · rest · mug · prune · dip

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mug — a cup
  5. firm — decided
  6. stem — to come from
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mug — a face
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. firm — a company
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. firm — steady
  21. rest — a break
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. dip — to sink

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