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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. sharp — clever
  4. race — a contest
  5. rock — a stone
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. present — the time now
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stem — to come from
  12. present — there
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. present — a gift
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. firm — decided
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. firm — a company
  20. race — humankind
  21. rock — music
  22. firm — steady
  23. staff — employees
  24. race — the arms race

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