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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: mark · stick · jam · spring · firm · shower · stem · drill

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. shower — to wash
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stem — to come from
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. firm — a company
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. spring — of water
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. shower — rain
  14. spring — a coil
  15. drill — army training
  16. firm — decided
  17. drill — a practice
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. spring — the season
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. firm — steady
  24. mark — a trace

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