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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. clip — for paper
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — to come from
  12. hand — help
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. can — to be able to
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. clip — to cut
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. can — a tin
  24. clip — a video

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