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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. club — a group
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mate — a friend
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. can — to be able to
  15. club — for golf
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. field — for sport
  20. stem — to come from
  21. field — farmland
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bear — the animal
  24. field — a subject

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