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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. drill — a practice
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. toast — bread
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. drill — army training
  13. chip — for betting
  14. drill — the tool
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. content — the amount
  18. suit — clothes
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. chip — to eat
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. content — happy
  24. lean — to bend

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