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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: rock · suit · lean · stem · land · sharp · rest · cap

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. land — to come down
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rest — what's left
  6. land — ground
  7. lean — thin
  8. stem — to come from
  9. land — a country
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cap — of ice
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rock — music
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rock — to move gently

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