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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. row — to paddle
  4. object — a thing
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. field — a subject
  8. deal — to handle
  9. spell — magic
  10. field — farmland
  11. row — a line
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. spell — letters
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. field — for sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. spell — a short time
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. stem — to come from

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