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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: stem · dip · row · cabinet · suit · ball · leaves · band

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. row — a line
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ball — a dance
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. band — a ring
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. band — a music group
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. suit — in cards
  21. row — to paddle
  22. stem — to come from
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — to fit

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