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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. fine — all right
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. can — a tin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pit — in a race
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — a tin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stem — to come from
  24. tube — a container

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