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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: stem · march · dip · firm · foot · season · row · staff

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. dip — to sink
  3. march — music
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — to come from
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. season — of the year
  11. row — a line
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. row — to paddle
  14. firm — a company
  15. march — the month
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. season — in sport
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. march — the month
  23. firm — steady
  24. staff — employees

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