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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. tube — a container
  6. firm — a company
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. craft — a skill
  11. firm — steady
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — to rob
  15. craft — boats
  16. fall — to drop
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fall — to drop
  19. face — to point toward
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. fall — the season

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