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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cap — of ice
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. net — in sport
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stem — to come from
  10. degree — temperature
  11. net — for catching
  12. cap — a hat
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. net — after costs
  17. degree — from a university
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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