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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. can — to be able to
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pit — a hole
  8. firm — steady
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. firm — a company
  16. pit — in a race
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. kick — in football
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. firm — decided
  24. stem — to come from

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