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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: roll · stick · stem · straw · net · fine · root · firm

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. firm — steady
  3. net — in sport
  4. fine — high quality
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. net — for catching
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. roll — a list
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fine — all right
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. net — after costs
  17. root — of a plant
  18. firm — a company
  19. stem — to come from
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. straw — dry grass

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