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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: dip · firm · cabinet · fork · stem · last · object · rush

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — decided
  3. last — finally
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stem — to come from
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. last — to go on
  8. firm — steady
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fork — in a road
  12. object — a thing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. firm — a company
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. last — final
  20. object — an aim
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. dip — to sink
  24. object — to protest

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