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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stem — to come from
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spell — letters
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. spell — magic
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. last — finally
  22. spell — a short time
  23. roll — a list
  24. ball — a dance

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