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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · suit · stem · fall · fine · jam · can · degree

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. degree — an amount
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fine — high quality
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. can — to be able to
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pound — a weight
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fall — the season
  18. degree — from a university
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — all right
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stem — a stem cell

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