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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. object — a thing
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. object — an aim
  10. race — humankind
  11. row — a line
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. object — to protest
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. row — to paddle
  17. race — a contest
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wound — an injury
  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