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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stem — to come from
  8. race — humankind
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. race — a contest
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. stand — to bear

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