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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 116 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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. spell — magic
  8. cold — an illness
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fine — all right
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. spell — letters
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cold — not warm
  24. fine — high quality

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