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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: object · face · prune · can · stem · fork · chair · deal

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. object — an aim
  8. can — a tin
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. face — to confront
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. stem — to come from
  14. prune — to trim
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. chair — a leader
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. face — to point toward
  23. prune — to trim
  24. object — a thing

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