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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mate — a friend
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mate — a partner
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. swing — to play on
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. swing — music
  24. mark — a grade

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