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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — a box
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mine — belonging to me

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