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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. firm — a company
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. firm — steady
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. track — a song
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. track — a path
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — decided
  15. bear — the animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rock — music

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