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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fall — to drop
  3. hand — help
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fall — the season
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pound — a weight

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