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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: wave · stem · firm · sharp · bowl · press · fork · cap

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. press — to push
  3. firm — steady
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cap — of ice
  10. press — newspapers
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stem — to come from
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cap — a lid
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. sharp — with an edge

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