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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stem — to come from
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. track — a path
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. track — a song
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. track — to keep track
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. key — in music

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