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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. lie — to recline
  6. spring — of water
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stem — to come from
  10. spring — a coil
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spring — the season
  13. object — to protest
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. object — a thing
  20. squash — the sport
  21. object — an aim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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