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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stem — to come from
  3. object — to protest
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. object — an aim
  9. capital — a city
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rock — music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. object — a thing
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. capital — money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ground — a position

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