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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mug — a face
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cap — a hat
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bear — the animal
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mug — to rob
  17. band — a ring
  18. mug — a cup
  19. toast — bread
  20. band — a music group
  21. bear — the animal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. cap — a lid

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