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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fork — in a road
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rock — music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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