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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. swing — to play on
  15. prune — to trim
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stem — to come from
  24. swing — 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