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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. drill — army training
  7. bear — the animal
  8. race — a contest
  9. spring — the season
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. race — humankind
  12. spring — of water
  13. ball — a dance
  14. drill — a practice
  15. spring — a coil
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. drill — the tool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. race — the arms race
  24. ball — a great time

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