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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mate — a friend
  5. present — the time now
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mate — to breed
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rest — what's left
  18. present — a gift
  19. rest — a break
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. suit — clothes
  24. kick — in football

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