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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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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 · straw · ball · firm · bound · cabinet · stock · roll

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. firm — steady
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — a list
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. bound — certain
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ball — a dance
  19. firm — a company
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. firm — decided
  24. stem — to come from

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