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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: racket · cap · wave · sharp · mark · firm · ball · stem

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. firm — steady
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. cap — of ice
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cap — a lid
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — a trace
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — decided
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. sharp — clever
  23. ball — a dance
  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