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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fall — the season
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. tube — a container
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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