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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. shower — to wash
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spring — of water
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spring — a coil
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. shower — rain
  10. saw — the tool
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. stem — to come from
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spring — the season
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fine — all right
  23. lie — to recline
  24. deal — to handle

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