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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cold — an illness
  8. stock — shares
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hand — in cards
  11. lie — to recline
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stock — goods
  15. mug — a face
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hand — help

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