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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. object — a thing
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — rain
  16. can — a tin
  17. object — an aim
  18. shower — to wash
  19. object — to protest
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stem — to come from

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