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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stem — to come from
  13. spell — letters
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. race — a contest
  17. spell — magic
  18. row — a line
  19. lean — thin
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spell — a short time
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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