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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. can — to be able to
  8. tube — a container
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. can — a tin
  12. stem — to come from
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. can — a tin
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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