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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. current — of water
  3. snap — to click
  4. stem — to come from
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cap — of ice
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cap — a hat
  11. object — an aim
  12. current — happening now
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cap — a lid
  15. object — to protest
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. object — a thing
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. current — electric

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