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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. staff — employees
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ground — crushed
  5. staff — employees
  6. fine — high quality
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. ground — the earth
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — all right
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. sharp — clever
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. staff — a stick
  23. ground — a position
  24. stem — to come from

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