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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. tube — the underground
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. clip — for paper
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. clip — a video
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. clip — to cut
  21. tube — a container
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stem — to come from

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