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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. present — a gift
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. fine — all right
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. present — the time now

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