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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. game — a match
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. squash — to crush
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to point toward
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. face — to confront
  24. safe — out of danger

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