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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. current — of water
  11. rest — a break
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. rest — what's left
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. drill — a practice
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stem — to come from
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — army training
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. scale — in music

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