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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. row — a line
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. row — to paddle
  5. charge — a price
  6. dip — to sink
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bark — to shout
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — a strongbox

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