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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rock — music
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. can — a tin
  6. stem — to come from
  7. can — to be able to
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. scale — in music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cap — a hat
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bound — certain
  24. rush — hurry

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