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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. net — for catching
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fall — the season
  15. current — of water
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. current — electric
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. current — happening now

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