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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lie — to recline
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rock — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stem — to come from
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rock — a stone
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. row — a line

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