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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — to come from
  4. perch — the fish
  5. tube — a container
  6. cue — a hint
  7. charge — electricity
  8. spell — letters
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cue — a signal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stand — to bear
  24. tube — the underground

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