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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 116 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mark — a trace
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. fall — the season
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. can — to be able to

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