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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. can — a tin
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. ground — the earth
  6. stem — to come from
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ground — a position
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mate — a partner
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lie — to recline
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mate — a friend

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