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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
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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: mark · stem · saw · suit · fall · net · content · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. fall — to drop
  3. saw — the tool
  4. club — for golf
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mark — a grade
  8. net — in sport
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stem — to come from
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fall — to drop
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. net — after costs
  17. content — the amount
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. net — for catching
  20. content — happy
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. fall — the season
  23. suit — in cards
  24. club — for dancing

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