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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 116 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: bore · rest · suit · stem · game · firm · snap · saw

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. game — wild animals
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bore — to tire
  7. suit — to fit
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rest — a break
  10. suit — in cards
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. snap — to click
  14. rest — what's left
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bore — to drill
  18. firm — steady
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. firm — a company
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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