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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. can — to be able to
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. present — a gift
  14. fine — all right
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. last — final
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stem — to come from
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bear — to put up with

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