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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. can — a tin
  10. stem — to come from
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. spell — magic
  14. tube — a container
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spell — letters
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fine — all right
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. can — a tin
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lie — an untruth

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