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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. race — a contest
  4. net — in sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. race — the arms race
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. object — an aim
  16. net — for catching
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. net — after costs
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. race — humankind
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. stem — a stem cell

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