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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. date — the fruit
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. swing — music
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. object — an aim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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