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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bear — the animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. race — humankind
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. present — there
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — the time now
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. march — music
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. march — the month
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lean — thin
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bear — the animal
  22. march — the month
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. race — a contest

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