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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mine — for digging
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mate — a friend
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. club — a group
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. club — for golf
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mate — a partner
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stem — to come from
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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