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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 120 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: tube · mouse · net · swing · stem · firm · file · deal

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. net — after costs
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. net — in sport
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. tube — a container
  18. firm — a company
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. swing — music
  21. stem — to come from
  22. net — for catching
  23. swing — in golf
  24. deal — a big deal

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