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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: rest · spring · fall · board · stem · content · fine · pop

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stem — to come from
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rest — what's left
  7. content — the amount
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rest — a break
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. spring — the season
  12. fine — all right
  13. pop — soda
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pop — music
  16. board — to get on
  17. spring — of water
  18. board — a committee
  19. fall — the season
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. content — happy

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