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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pound — a weight
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. row — a line
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pit — in a race
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rash — a series
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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