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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mate — a friend
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mark — a grade
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mate — to breed
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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