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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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wound — an injury
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stock — shares
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stock — goods
  12. fall — the season
  13. suit — to fit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mate — a partner
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mate — to breed

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