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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. dip — to sink
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. nail — for a hammer

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