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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fall — the season
  3. pass — a permit
  4. row — a line
  5. bound — tied together
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. face — to confront
  14. fall — to drop
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. fall — to drop
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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