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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bound — tied together
  10. clip — for paper
  11. suit — in cards
  12. clip — to cut
  13. suit — clothes
  14. clip — a video
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. row — a line
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. charge — electricity
  24. row — a quarrel

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